LIFE  OF  KALB* 


' 

• 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


THE 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  KALB 


MAJOR-GENERAL  IN  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  ARMY. 


BY 


FRIEDR1CH   KAPP. 


In  Deiner  Ernst  sind   Deines 
Schicksals  Sterne. 


NEW  YORK 
HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1870, 
BY  FRIEDRICH  KAPP,   • 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  Now  York. 


College 


E 


AOJ 


PREFACE. 


Congress  having  on  February  19th,  1883,  passed  the  reso- 
lution to  carry  out  the  vote  of  October  14th,  1780,  to  erect  at 
Annapolis  a  monument  in  honor  of  General  Kalb,  I  find  the 
moment  propitious  to  prepare  for  publication  a  book  which 
I  have  long  had  by  me.  Besides  I  prefer  publishing  my  re- 
searches in  my  own  name  to  running  the  risk  of  seeing  them 
adopted  by  others  who  do  not  even  condescend  to  mention 
the  source  from  which  they  have  drawn  their  information. 

I  do  not  consider  it  out  of  place  to  submit  this  work  to 
the  American  reader,  as  the  necessary  sequel  to  the  life  of 
FREDERICK  WILLIAM  VON  STEUBEN,  published  in  1859. 
Kalb  and  Steuben  taken  together  complete  the  design  I 
had  in  view  of  detailing  the  participation  of  German 
generals  in  the  establishment  of  American  independence. 
Both  of  these  men  were  noble  specimens  of  the  race  from 
which  they  sprung,  and  under  the  most  unfavorable  au- 
spices they  have  unfolded  some  cf  its  finest  qualities. 

What  first  led  me  to  an  inquiry  into  Kalb's  personal 
history  was  the  mysterious  twilight  in  which  his  memory 
was  shrouded.  Even  the  orthography  of  his  name  was  un- 
certain. Some  write  it  Kalbe,  others  Colbe,  still  others 
Kalb ;  Mr.  Bancroft  names  Alsace  as  his  native  land, 
while  Lord  Stormond,  the  English  ambassador,  assigns  him 
to  Switzerland.  The  year  of  his  birth  varied  between  1717 
and  1732;  one  authority  credits  his  military  antecedents  to 
the  Prussian,  another  to  the  Austrian,  a  third  to  the  French 
army.  The  French  employed  him  as  a  secret  political 
agent,  the  Americans  occasionally  took  him  for  a  French 


IV  PREFACE 

spy,  and  even  in  the  revolutionary  war  his  appearance  is 
meteoric,  for  he  is  rarely  or  never  mentioned  up  to  the 
moment  of  his  heroic  death  on  the  field  of  Camden.  Thus 
his  image  hovered  in  a  romantic  haze  of  the  most  opposite 
probabilities,  all  the  more  attractive  by  its  contrast  to  the 
biography  of  Steuben,  for  which  all  the  materials  were 
found  ready  cut  and  dried  with  true  Prussian  exactitude. 
It  affords  me  pleasure  to  say  that  my  researches  soon  dis- 
pelled the  mystery,  and  were  rewarded  with  a  very  gratify- 
ing crop  of  historical  discoveries,  drawn  from  sources  of 
which  but  one  or  two  were  previously  known  to  the  curious. 
One  word  as  to  these  fountain-heads.  While  at  Wash- 
ington, in  1856,  I  was  accidentally  fortunate  in  making  the 
acquaintance  of  John  Carroll  Brent,  Esquire,  who  had  for 
years  represented  the  family  of  Kalb  as  their  solicitor  at 
the  bar  of  Congress.  To  his  kindness  I  am  indebted  for 
the  address  of  the  Viscountess  d'Alzac,  ofMilon  la  Chapellc, 
Department  Seine  etOise,  the  grand-daughter  of  Kalb,  who 
is  in  possession  of  his  posthumous  writings.  On  preferring 
to  this  lady  a  request  for  permission  to  inspect  and,  if  nec- 
essary, to  copy  the  papers  of  her  grandfather,  I  was  favor- 
ed with  a  letter  from  Mr.  I.  Nachtmann,  a  Polish  refugee 
in  consequence  of  the  revolution  of  1831.  This  gentleman, 
long  in  relations  of  intimacy  with  the  family  d'Alzac,  had 
himself  conceived  the  design  of  writing  a  life  of  Kalb,  based 
upon  the  materials  there  at  hand.  He  had  progressed  down 
to  the  year  1775,  producing  a  work  which  followed  implicit- 
ly the  Milon  authorities,  less  remarkable,  perhaps,  for  dis- 
crimination than  for  completeness  in  details.  A  corre- 
spondence of  several  years  resulted  in  the  purchase  by  me  of 
Mr.  Nachtmann's  MS.,  accompanied  by  copies  of  all  papers 
of  the  general  then  in  the  possession  of  the  family.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say  that  without  these  papers,  and 
especially  without  Mr.  Nachtmann's  carefully  prepared 
draught,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  me  to  have  ac- 


PREFACE 


complished  anything  like  a  coherent  narrative  of  Kalb's 
life  and  fortunes. 

In  citing  these  authorities  I  have  designated  them  as 
Kalb's  MSS.  adding  the  name  of  "Nachtmann"  up  to  the 
concluding  point  of  that  gentleman's  labors,  and  adding 
"Milon  la  Chapelle,"  for  the  remaining  period  which  extends 
from  1776  to  1780.  The  latter  were  comparatively  sterile, 
because  Kalb's  numerous  letters  from  America  mainly  relate 
to  matters  of  personal  or  domestic  interest,  and  but  rarely 
touch  upon  public  affairs  and  military  movements;  they  were, 
however,  of  great  value  in  enabling  me  to  fix  dates  and  locali- 
ties with  undoubted  accuracy. 

To  Mr.  George  Bancroft  I  am  under  special  obligations 
for  the  loan  of  the  principal  papers  respecting  Kalb's  first 
journey  to  America.  The  evidences  of  Kalb's  birth  and  ex- 
traction I  owe  to  the  kindness  of  my  friend,  Professor  K.  L. 
Aegidi,  now  professor  at  Bonn,  and  the  obliging  assistance 
of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Recknagel,  pastor  of  Kirchenaurach, 
Consistorial  Councilor  Dr.  George  Kapp,  of  Munich,  and 
Mr.  Philip  Feust,  then  of  Erlangen,  now  lawyer  at  Fiirth. 

My  friend,  M.  Louis  Tribert,  of  Paris,  supplied  me  with 
some  valuable  data  from  the  papers  of  the  ministry  of  war, 
and,  long  after  I  had  renounced  all  hope  of  further  dis- 
coveries, my  friend,  Mr.  John  Bigelow,  then  American  Con- 
sul in  the  last-named  city,  discovered,  in  the  archives  of  the 
same  ministry,  no  less  than  thirty  letters  and  documents  of 
Kalb's,  of  which  he  had  the  goodness  to  procure  copies  for 
me.  In  this  disinterested  act  of  friendship  he  received,  at 
the  hands  of  M.  Blondel,  the  custodian  of  these  archives, 
that  courteous  assistance  which  has  always  distinguished 
the  officials  of  the  French  government. 

The  libraries  of  the  Historical  Societies  at  New  York  and 
Baltimore  contain  very  valuable  documents.  In  the  latter 
city  the  manuscript  papers  of  General  Gist,  as  well  as  other 
writings,  cited  in  the  course  of  the  work,  turned  out  to  be 


PREFACE 


extremely  productive.  In  New  York  the  papers  of  General 
Gates  were  particularly  rich  in  materials,  and  of  incalcula- 
ble value  for  my  purposes.  The  librarians  of  these  institu- 
tions, Mr.  George  H.  Moore  here,  and  Mr.  A.  M.  Rogers  of 
Baltimore,  aided  my  efforts  with  their  accustomed  kindness. 

All  these  gentlemen  are  requested  to  accept  my  heartfelt 
thanks  for  the  friendship  thus  extended. 

In  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  at  Washington  I 
had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  consent  of  General  Cass  to 
my  taking  copies  of  letters  and  documents  relating  to  the 
subject  of  this  memoir.  Under  the  administration  of  Mr. 
Seward,  several  excerpts  from  a  volume  containing  the  Do 
Kalb  and  the  Du  Coudray  papers  were  withheld  from  me 
on  the  ground  that  they  were  deemed  not  relevant  to  my 
subject.  A  written  demonstration  to  the  contrary,  which  I 
furnished,  received  no  attention.  On  the  whole,  no  change 
has  taken  place  in  the  narrow-minded  jealousy  with  which 
the  revolutionary  documents  are  guarded  in  Washington, 
anymore  than  in  the  neglected  early  education  of  the  gen  tie- 
men  who  guard  them.  The  unsophisticated  views  of  these 
worthy  functionaries  on  matters  of  historical  interest  are 
without  a  parallel  in  the  present  century. 

The  following  correspondence  took  place  between  the 
State  Department  and  myself  in  relation  to  this  subject. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE,        | 
Washington,  December  11,  1861.  ! 
FBIEDRICH  KAPP,  Esq. ,  122  Broadway,  New  York. 

SIR:  It  is  understood  that  you  have  recently  made  application  for 
copies  of  certain  invoices  among  the  Du  Coudray  papers  on  file  in 
this  Department,  for  the  purpose  of  throwing  light  on  a  Life  of  th» 
Baron  de  Kalb,  which  you  propose  to  publish.  As  no  connection  can 
be  discovered  between  the  papers  requested  and  the  proposed  Life  of 
De  Kalb,  you  are  informed  that  such  copies  will  not  be  allowed  to  be 
taken  unleas  you  can  offer  a  sufficient  explanation  in  this  regard. 
I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

F.  W.  SEWARD,  Assistant  Secretary. 


P  REFACE  VU 

To  which  letter  I  replied  as  follows: 

NEW  YORK,  December  \7tJi,  1861. 
HON.  P.  W.  SEWARD,  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  Washington. 

SIR:  In  reply  to  your  favor  of  the  llth  hist.,  refusing  me  the  use 
of  the  Du  Coudray  Papers,  on  the  rolls  of  your  Department,  unless  I 
can  offer  a  sufficient  explanation,  that  they  have  a  connection  with 
the  Life  of  Baron  De  Kalb,  which  I  am  now  writing,  I  beg  to  say 
that  Du  Coudray  was  a  French  officer,  who,  with  the  knowledge  of 
the  French  government,  intended  to  come  over  to  the  United  States 
in  company  with  Baron  De  Kalb,  and  was  charged  with  the  ship- 
ment of  several  invoices  of  ammunition,  goods  and  cannon,  in  aid  of 
the  Colonies. 

As  it  is  one  of  the  essential  points  in  my  biography  of  De  Kalb  to 
elucidate  the  part  taken  by  the  French  government  in  the  American 
struggle  of  independence,  you  will  see  at  once  the  bearing  of  those 
papers  upon  my  subject.  I  cannot  establish  my  proofs  without 
reference  to  those  identical  invoices  contained  in  the  Du  Coudray 
Papers. 

Another  point  is  the  action  taken  by  Beaumarchais,  who,  in  hia  f~ 
desire  of  vindicating  to  himself  exclusively  the  honor  of  having  pro- 
cured French  goods  and  money  in  aid  of  the  Revolution,  made  an 
attack  both  upon  Du  Coudray  and  De  Kalb,  as  well  as  afterwards 
upon  the  Washington  government,  which  he  accused  of  fraud  and 
false  dealings  to  all  Europe.  To  refute  such  charges  is  not  only  in 
the  interest  of  my  work,  but  of  the  fair  fame  of  this  Republic.  If  the 
above  information  should  not  prove  sufficient  to  overcome  the  con- 
scientious scruples  of  your  department,  respecting  the  connection 
between  the  life  of  one  of  the  revolutionary  heroes,  and  the  light 
thrown  upon  the  action  of  the  French  government  in  that  revolution, 
by  the  Du  Coudray  Papers,  I  beg  to  refer  your  clerks  to  Willard, 
Lossing,  or  Wilson,  or  almost  any  school-book  on  American  History. 
Such  being  the  case,  your  reply  upon  my  application  evinces,  allow 
me  to  say,  a  gross  ignorance  prevailing  in  your  department  with 
regard  to  the  elementary  knowledge  of  the  history  of  this  country. 
The  department  might  have  avoided  such  exposure,  if  there  had  been 
good  sense  and  literary  breeding  enough  to  know  that  every  historian 
of  character  and  responsibility  must  judge  for  himself  as  to  the  im- 
portance of  the  papers  which  he  wishes  to  use  or  to  consult,  and  that 


VU1  PKEFACE 

he  claims  the  permission  of  perusing  the  same  as  his  right  in  the  in- 
terest of  historical  truth,  not  as  a  favor  dependent  upon  the  good  will 
of  ignorant  clerks.  If  it  be  therefore  not  my  right  to  have  those 
copies,  I  have  no  disposition  to  ask  a  favor. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully,  your  obdt.  servant, 

FEIEDRICH  KAPP. 

In  January,  1862,  I  called  at  the  State  Department,  and 
was  informed  by  the  then  Chief  Clerk,  Mr.  Hunter,  that  the 
reasons  given  by  me  to  be  allowed  access  to  the  DuCoudray 
Papers  had  not  been  deemed  satisfactory.  Subsequently  I 
saw  Senator  Charles  Sumner,  and  in  the  course  of  my  con- 
versation with  him,  I  complained  of  the  treatment  I  had 
received  from  the  State  Department.  Mr.  Sumner,  with  that 
obliging  kindness  and  courtesy  which  the  world  over  dis- 
tinguishes the  gentleman,  at  once  volunteered  his  services 
to  procure  me  copies  of  the  documents  in  question.  On 
April  17,  1862,  he  enclosed  to  me  the  following  letter  : 

DEPARTMENT  OP  STATE,       ) 
Washington,  April  15,  1862.  I 

HON.  CHARLES  SUMNER,  Senate  Chamber. 

SIR  :  This  Department  accedes  to  the  request  which  has  been 
made  by  you,  that  Mr.  Kapp  may  have  access  to  certain  papers  that 
are  among  the  Revolutionary  Archives;  or  Mr.  Kapp  can  have  the 
papers  referred  to  copied  in  the  Department,  by  conforming  to  the 
requirements  of  law  in  this  regard. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD. 

As  grateful  as  I  was  to  the  distinguished  Senator  for  his 
interference,  I  did  not  feel  disposed  to  avail  myself  of  Mr. 
Seward's  tardy  permission.  Having  been  warned  by  a  former 
«ad  experience  in  the  State  Department,  I  had  neglected 
nothing  to  conform  with  the  requirements  of  the  law  in  this 
respect,  and  I  therefore  considered  the  condition  mentioned 
in  Mr.  Steward's  note  as  a  mere  excuse  to  the  Senator.  Be- 


PREFACE  IX 

sides,  for  three  unsuccessful  trips  to  Washington,  and  for 
copying  in  the  Department,  I  had  already  spent  considerably 
more  than  my  means  at  that  time  would  permit. 

I  should  have  wished  to  correct  an  error  which  I  had 
committed  in  my  life  of  Steuben,  where,  mentioning  the  deal- 
ings between  Beaumarchais  and  the  United  States,  I  had 
charged  the  latter  as  being  in  fault,  while  a  later  and  more 
thorough  study  of  the  subject  convinced  me  that  the  only 
blame  in  these  transactions  properly  fell  on  the  shoulders 
of  Beaumarchais.  If  I  omitted  to  fulfil  this  duty,  Mr. 
Seward's  subordinates  have  to  account  for  it. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  materials  enumerated  exhaust  the 
subject,  and  even  cast  new  and  important  lights  upon  the 
political  relations  of  France  to  England,  and  the  present 
United  States,  from  the  year  1767  to  1777,  as  well  as  upon 
some  of  the  designs,  hitherto  unknown,  of  the  French  states- 
men of  that  era.  In  these  disclosures,  Kalb  is  invested  with 
a  political  no  less  than  with  a  military  interest.  His  inter- 
course with  Choiseul  and  Broglie.  Lafayette  and  Washing- 
ton, unfold  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  history  of  the  period, 
and  carry  the  reader  far  beyond  the  narrow  confines  of  a 
military  career,  into  the  mazes  of  international  politics. 

While  the  life  of  every  man  is  a  reflection,  more  or  less 
faithful,  of  the  history  of  his  time,  whic.li,  indeed,  is  but 
the  product  of  the  welded  activity  of  its  thinkers  and 
agents,  Kalb  is  peculiarly  a  true  son  of  the  eighteenth  cent, 
ury.  Issuing  from  the  undermost  strata  of  society,  and 
scaling  its  heights  by  dint  of  native  power,  he  labors  wit- 
tingly and  willingly  to  bring  out  the  form  and  pressure  of 
the  age,  and  bears  in  every  feature  the  stamp  of  its  faults 
and  of  its  glories,  of  its  paltry  political  misery  and  its  lefty 
republican  aspirations,  its  craven  deference  to  timeworn 
prejudice,  and  its  titanic  wrestlings  with  hoary  tradition. 

FBIEDEICH  KAPP. 

BERLIN,  January  1884. 


CHAPTER    I. 

KALE'S  PEDIGREE  AND  BIRTH. — ENTERS  THE  FRENCH  SERVICK,  AND  ASSUMES  A 
TITLE  OF  NOBILITY. — His  MOTIVES. — CURRENT  OPINIONS  OF  THE  LAST  CEN- 
TURY ON  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  DIFFERENCES  BETWEEN  THE  VARIOUS  CONDI- 
TIONS IN  LIFE. — KAI.B  A  LIEUTENANT  IN  THE  REGIMENT  LOEWENDAL. — 
KALB'S  CAMPAIGNS  IN  FLANDERS  AND  ALSACE. — THE  SCHOOL  OF  MARSHAL 
SAXE. — KALB  BECOMES  A  CAPTAIN,  ADJUTANT,  AND  "  OFFICIER  DE  DETAIL". 
— GARRISONS  WHERE  HE  WAS  STATIONED  IN  TIMES  OF  PEACE. — His  DUTIES 
AND  SERVICES. — CAPITULARY  ARTICLES  OF  THE  FOREIGN  REGIMENTS. — 
KALB'S  PLAN  OF  AN  INVASION  OF  ENGLAND,  AND  CREATION  OF  A  BODY  OP 
MARINE  INFANTRY. — THE  PROJECT  FAILS  OF  ADOPTION  AT  VERSAILLES. — 
HE  RETURNS  TO  CAMBRAY  AND  OBTAINS  A  MAJOR'S  COMMISSION  IN  1756. 

TT  was  not,  as  has  been  hitherto  erroneously  supposed,  the 
-*-  lordly  castle  of  a  German  baron,  but  the  humble  cottage 
of  a  Franconian  peasant,  which  gave  to  the  world  the  hero 
whose  career  these  pages  are  intended  to  commemorate. 

John  Kalb  was  born  the  29th  of  June,  1721,  at  Huetten- 
dorf, a  village  then  belonging  to  the  Margraviate  of  |Jay- 
reuth,  afterward  under  Prussian  sovereignty,  but  at  present 
incorporated  with  the  parish  of  Frauenaurach  in  the  Bavarian 
district  of  Erlangen.  His  father,  John  Leonard  Kalb,  was 
the  son  of  Hans  Kalb,  yeoman,  of  Leinburg,  near  Altdorf, 
and  figured  in  the  church  records  of  Frauenaurach  as  "  so- 
journer  and  peasant  of  Huettendorf."  On  the  24th  of  April, 
1715,  he  married  Mrs.  Margaret  Putz,  of  Huettendorf,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Seitz,  and  her  birthplace  Eschenbach.  The 

issue  of  this  marriage,  besides  our  hero,  already  named,  were 
1 


2  LIFE    OF     KALB. 

two  sons,  of  whom  the  eldest,  George,  born  November  15, 
1718,  died  as  a  peasant  at  Stadeln,  near  Fuerth,  while  the 
youngest,  Andrew,  born  the  17th  of  January,  1727,  inherited 
the  homestead  at  Huettendorf.  John  passed  his  childhood  in 
his  father's  house,  and  received  his  earliest  schooling  at  Krie- 
genbronu.  Then  he  became  a  waiter,  and  as  such,  when 
barely  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  went  abroad.1  At  this  point 
Ins  trace  is  lost  for  years.  There  can  be  but  little  doubt  that 
he  soon  found  his  way  to  France,  and  cast  his  lot  with  military 
men,  for  about  the  close  of  the  year  1743  the  peasant  boy 
Hans  Kalb  turns  up  as  Jean  de  Kalb,  lieutenant  in  he  regiment 
Loewendal  of  French  infantry.*  How  he  reached  these  for- 
eign parts,  and  how  he  achieved  his  position  there,  I  have 
not  succeeded  in  ascertaining;  nor  is  it  probable  that  any 
authentic  clue  to  the  mystery  will  ever  be  discovered. 

Throughout  the  last  century,  more  than  at  any  other  time, 
the  line  of  distinction  between  the  character  of  an  adventurer 
and  that  of  a  hero  is  very  dim,  often  scarcely  discernible ;  and 
the  antecedents  of  many  a  man  who,  at  a  subsequent  stage  of 
his  career  has  scaled  the  heights  of  fame,  are  checkered  with 
alternate  displays  of  either.  The  force  of  circumstances  seems 
to  have  thrust  Kalb  into  the  path  of  adventure  in  early  life, 
while  his  staid  and  sober  disposition  tended  to  impel  him  in 
the  opposite  direction.  It  is  very  clear  that  his  advancement 
was  facilitated  by  his  assumption  of  nobility,  and  in  the  high- 
est degree  probable  that  it  was  achieved  by  some  act  of  gal- 
lantry in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  But  where  and  how  he 
acquired  the  manners  and  the  knowledge  necessary  to  main- 
tain his  ground,  is  a  question  difficult  to  answer.  If  he  had 
entered  a  regiment  commanded  by  Frenchmen,  the  inference 
would  be  that  he  was  enabled  to  sustain  his  role  by  the  limit- 


LIFEOFKALB.  8 

ed  acquaintance  of  the  French  officers  of  that  day  with  Ger- 
man society  and  habits.  But  we  find  him  in  a  corps,  which, 
though  enlisted  under  French  colors,  was  officered  almost 
exclusively  by  German  noblemen,  thus  bringing  him  into 
contact  with  men  who  must  have  had  an  accurate  knowledge 
of  the  German  nobility,  and  some  of  whom  may  have  be- 
longed to  the  same  province,  or  at  least  may  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  landed  gentry  of  that  neighborhood  by  the 
ties  of  blood  or  friendship. 

Kalb's  assumption  of  a  title  not  legally  belonging  to  him 
is  not  at  all  surprising,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  none  of  the 
armies  of  that  day  admitted  the  claims  of  a  commoner  to 
promotion,  and  that  shortly  before  the  breaking  out  of  the 
French  revolution  (in  1781)  the  privilege  of  holding  commis- 
sions in  the  army  was  restricted  to  nobles  of  at  least  four 
ancestors.8  Indeed,  the  nobility  of  that  period  may  be  said 
to  have  comprised  the  whole  of  its  good  society.  Even  Fred- 
erick the  Great  went  so  far  as  to  attribute  to  that  order  a 
higher  sense  of  honor  and  a  more  profound  insight  into  the 
art  of  war  and  the  mystery  of  statecraft,  and  to  limit  the 
appointment  of  untitled  men  to  important  offices  to  the  most 
exceptional  cases.  Nor  did  the  slighted  classes  resent  their 
subordination,  or  regard  it  as  anything  worthy  of  comment. 
Puetter,  the  celebrated  jurist  of  Goettingen,  a  contemporary 
of  Kalb,  always  felt  himself  especially  honored  when  some 
count  or  baron  addressed  him,  or  even  vouchsafed  to  chat 
with  him  during  the  lazy  hours  of  the  bathing  season  at 
Pyrmont.  It  is  well  known  that  Goethe  was  profoundly 
flattered  at  being  admitted  to  the  edifying  conversation  of 
some  obscure  prince  at  Karlsbad,  and  his  annals  record  as 
preeminently  noteworthy  that  the  Prince  of  Reuss,  a  poten- 


4  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

tate  who  but  for  this  mention  would  have  gone  to  his  grave 
unknown  to  posterity,  always  honored  him  with  "  an  affable 
and  gracious  demeanor."  A  hundred  such  instances  might 
be  cited  to  show  the  peculiar  fascination  exercised  by  the 
purely  factitious  blazon  of  nobility  even  upon  the  leading 
minds  of  that  era.  As  a  partial  compensation  for  this  injustice 
the  favored  class  of  that  day  good-naturedly  acquiesced  in 
the  nobility  of  any  one  who  managed  to  assume  the  title  and 
the  external  badges  of  the  order,  without  inquiring  closely 
into  his  pedigree.  This  was  particularly  the  case  in  France, 
where  men  where  just  awakening  to  a  sense  of  the  absurdity 
of  these  prejudices.  Hence  that  swarm  of  adventurers  who 
wormed  their  way  into  these  circles  of  the  quality,  where  they 
were  generally  tolerated,  and  often  petted,  until  some  caprice 
or  accident  hurled  them  back  into  their  original  oblivion. 

Like  hundreds  before  and  after  him — of  whom  St.  Arnaud 
and  Persigny  may  serve  as  examples — Kalb  adopted  the 
means  best  calculated  to  lift  him  out  of  the  narrow  confines 
of  his  native  condition  into  a  more  advantageous  position. 
Regarding  this  step  in  the  light  of  his  time,  it  cannot  be  judged 
too  mildly.  The  title  of  nobility  was  simply  the  password 
which  unlocked  the  world  to  him,  the  indispensable  starting- 
point  for  all  further  operations.  One  more  scruple  on  his 
part,  and  the  world  would  probably  have  gained  a  sturdy 
yeoman,  but  lost  a  hero  ! 

Be  that  as  it  may,  our  hero  is  henceforth  Baron  de  KalB. 
the  Kalb  of  history.  The  regiment  formed  by  Couut  Loe- 
wendal  on  the  first  of  September,  1743,  to  which,  about  the 
close  of  the  same  year,  we  find  him  attached  as  lieutenant, 
was  then  stationed  in  Flanders,  and  shared  in  the  brilliant 
though  ultimately  barren  victories  won  by  the  French  armiea 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  6 

under  Marshal  Saxe  over  the  united  forces  of  the  English, 
Dutch,  and  Austrians. 

The  war  of  the  Austrian  Succession,  theretofore  confined 
to  Germany,  was  just  then  assuming  European  dimensions. 
France,  true  to  her  ancient  policy  of  hostility  to  Austria,  had 
entered  into  the  contest  in  1740,  merely  as  the  ally  of  the 
elector  Albert  of  Bavaria,  in  opposition  to  the  pretensions  of 
Maria  Theresa ;  in  1744,  however,  she  openly  declared  war 
against  Great  Britain  and  Austria.  To  drive  the  English  out 
of  the  Netherlands,  Louis  XV.  himself  entered  Flanders, 
opened  the  campaign  with  the  siege  of  Menin,  which  sur- 
rendered after  a  brief  resistance,  and  proceeded  to  invest 
Ypres  and  Fumes,  which  were  also  speedily  reduced.  The 
Loewendal  regiment  took  a  prominent  part  in  these  three 
operations.  When  the  Austrians  invaded  Alsace  in  consid- 
erable force,  Louis  resolved  to  conduct  40,000  of  the  flower 
of  his  victorious  Flemish  army  to  the  support  of  Marshal 
Coigny  on  the  Rhine.  At  Metz,  however,  the  king  fell  dan- 
gerously ill.  The  French,  instead  of  driving  the  enemy  across 
or  into  the  Rhine,  frittered  away  their  forces  in  exhausting 
marches,  futile  manoeuvres,  and  petty  engagements.  One  of 
the  latter  was  the  brilliant  attack  upon  the  village  of  Augen- 
heim,  in  which  again  the  Loewendal  regiment  gained  peculiar 
distinction.  The  French  took  the  place  on  the  23d  of  August, 
1744,  after  a  determined  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  Aus- 
trian grenadiers  and  Hungarians,  but  gave  the  Prince  of  Lor- 
raine time,  upon  the  news  of  the  irruption  of  Frederick  II.  into 
Bohemia,  to  make  good  the  passage  of  the  Rhine  without 
molestation,  and  then  to  march  upon  Prague  by  way  of  Swabia 
and  the  Upper  Palatinate.  Instead  of  pursuing  the  enemy, 
the  French  contented  themselves  with  the  conquest  of  the 


6  I.  IFK     OF     KALR. 

Brisgow,  and  concluded  the  campaign  in  November,  1744, 
with  the  taking  of  Freiburg,  under  the  walls  of  which  alone 
they  lost  twelve  thousand  men.  In  this  siege,  also,  the  Loe- 
wendal  regiment  was  engaged,  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  single 
year,  Kalb  had  a  share  in  three  sieges  and  one  hotly-contest- 
ed battle. 

In  the  following  year,  1745,  his  regiment  rejoined  the 
army  of  Marshal  Saxe  in  the  Netherlands.  At  the  battle  of 
Fontenoy,  fought  May  11,  1745,  it  formed  a  part  of  the  re- 
serve which  was  under  the  command  of  Loewendal  himself; 
and  in  pursuance  of  this  victory,  which  was  mainly  brought 
about  by  the  gallantry  of  the  foreign  regiments,  it  assisted  at 
the  capture  of  Ghent,  Oudenarde,  Ostende,  and  Nieuport. 
In  fact,  if  we  except  the  battles  of  Lafeld  and  Raucoux,  there 
is  hardly  a  decisive  event  in  the  course  of  these  campaigns 
in  which  the  regiment  was  not  distinguished.  Thus,  in  1746, 
it  was  active  at  the  reduction  of  Huy  and  Namur.  In  1747 
it  shared  in  the  taking  of  Ecluse  and  Sar  de  Gand,  and  in  the 
still  more  celebrated  storming  of  Bergen  op  Zoom,  which 
brought  its  commander  the  marshal's  baton  ;  in  1748  it 
aided  in  the  siege  and  capture  of  Mastricht,  at  the  close  of 
which  the  French,  exhausted  by  the  war,  purchased  the  peace 
of  Aix-la-Chapelle  by  the  surrender  of  all  their  conquests  in 
the  Netherlands. 

It  was  Kalb's  good  fortune  to  receive  his  military  training, 
in  the  school  of  Marshal  Saxe,  the  greatest  captain  of  Europe 
in  the  period  intervening  between  the  career  of  Prince 
Eugene  and  that  of  Frederick  the  Great,  and  whom  the  latter 
venerated  as  the  "professor  of  all  the  European  generals." 
But  Loewendal  too  was  a  general  fitted  to  stand  beside  the 
ablest  chieftains  of  the  age,  and  particularly  eminent  in  the 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  7 

art  of  reducing  fortifications.  From  the  subordinate  position 
occupied  by  our  hero,  it  is  but  natural  that  his  name  does  not 
figure  in  the  reports  of  this  war;  but  there  is  evidence  in 
papers  still  extant  that  he  was  even  then  a  diligent  and  ener- 
getic officer,  occupying  all  his  leisure  moments  in  the  study 
principally  of  the  modern  languages,  and  of  the  higher  branches 
of  mathematics  as  applied  to  the  art  of  fortification  and  to 
the  internal  organization  of  various  bodies  of  troops.  Under 
these  circumstances  he  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention 
of  his  superiors,  and  was  not  only  assigned  to  services  of  im- 
portance, but  rapidly  promoted.  In  1747  he  was  made  cap- 
tain and  adjutant,  and  also  charged  with  the  duties  of  an 
"  officer  of  detail." 

This  designation  was  peculiar  to  the  French  army  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  combined  the  offices  of  general  man- 
ager and  judge  of  the  regiment.  It  was  for  the  incumbent  to 
superintend  all  its  affairs,  from  the  most  trivial  minutiae  of 
daily  routine  to  the  most  important  points  of  discipline  and 
jurisprudence.  The  colonel  gave  the  regiment  his  name  and 
was  its  representative  abroad,  the  officer  of  detail  controlled 
its  internal  administration.  He  conducted  the  correspondence 
with  the  commanding  general  and  the  minister  of  war,  re- 
ported the  condition  of  the  men,  made  requisitions  to  meet 
their  wants,  scrutinized  and  expounded  the  articles  of  war — 
of  which  each  regiment  then  had  its  own — vindicated  their 
rights  as  against  their  superiors,  suggested  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, and  acted,  in  short,  as  the  virtual  head  of  the  regiment. 

A  position  at  once  so  honorable  to  a  young  officer,  and  so 
responsible,  could  be  well  filled  only  by  a  man  of  intelligence, 
energy,  and  integrity.  It  was  occupied  by  Kalb  during 
almost  the  entire  duration  of  the  peace  which  preceded  the 


LIFE    OP    K.ALB. 

Seven  Years'  War.  His  regiment  was  in  garrison  at  Pfalzburg 
and  Cambray.  Our  hero  was  not  only  studious  of  faithfully 
performing  the  duties  of  his  office,  but  also  endeavored,  as  far  as 
in  him  lay,  to  correct  existing  abuses,  and  to  infuse  coherence 
and  humanity  into  the  barbarous  and  contradictory  codes  by 
which  his  own  and  other  regiments  were  governed.  The  ar- 
ticles of  war,  or  capitulations,  adopted  at  the  formation  or 
subsequent  reorganizations  of  the  various  regiments  of  the 
French  army,  produced  an  anomalous  state  of  things  replete 
with  doubt  and  incongruities.  Every  regiment  was  a  close 
corporation,  a  petty  state  within  itself,  and  of  course  exces- 
sively jealous  of  its  "  rights  and  franchises."  What  in  one 
regiment  was  enjoined  by  the  law,  was  punished  in  another 
as  a  crime.  Every  "  Capitulation,"  was  an  independent  treaty 
between  the  King  of  France  of  the  one  part,  and  the  for- 
eign soldiers  of  the  other.  The  latter  sold  their  services 
in  consideration  of  the  most  favorable  stipulations  and  privi- 
leges, which  the  former  accorded  lavishly  or  sparingly,  accord- 
ing to  the  urgency  of  his  military  necessities.  Thus,  each 
regiment  occupied  a  position  of  its  own,  and  its  discipline 
frequently  came  into  conflict  with  that  of  the  rest  of  the 
army.  In  spite,  or  rather  in  consequence  of  the  most  precise 
directions  in  reference  to  discipline,  arms,  uniform,  subsist- 
ence, and  police,  in  peace  and  war,  doubts  and  difficulties  fre- 
quently arose,  which  were  passed  upon  by  the  minister  of 
war  on  the  report  of  the  officer  of  detail.  Kalb  devoted 
himself  to  this  portion  of  his  task  with  the  greatest  zeal,  en- 
deavoring either  to  resolve  his  doubts  by  taking  the  advice 
of  his  colleagues  in  other  foreign  regiments,  or,  failing  that, 
to  settle  important  points  by  the  decision  of  the  minister  him- 
self. To  give  an  instance  among  many — a  court-martial  of 


LIFE    OF    KALIS.  9 

his  regiment  had  condemned  to  death  a  deserter  who,  after 
having  sold  his  uniform  in  a  foreign  country,  had  returned  to 
France,  and  been  arrested.  A  minority  of  the  judges  dis- 
sented, and  voted  for  the  gauntlet,  on  the  ground  that  capi- 
tal punishment  was  only  incurred  where  the  deserter  was  ar- 
rested out  of  the  kingdom.  On  the  20th  of  August,  1751, 
Kalb  submitted  the  case  to  the  minister  of  war,  Count  d'Ar- 
genson,  who,  on  21st  of  September,  decided  in  favor  of  the  mild- 
er sentence,  on  the  ground  of  the  ordinances  of  the  regiment. 
The  independent  jurisdiction  of  the  regimental  court- 
martials  often  led  to  the  most  intolerable  abuses.  In  the 
absence  of  a  regular  course  of  procedure,  particularly  in 
police  matters,  the  accused  was  often  exposed  to  the  arbitrary 
cruelty  of  narrow-minded  judges.  Kalb  did  what  he  could 
to  redress  these  grievances,  and  corresponded  with  the 
officers  of  detail  of  all  the  other  German  regiments  in  the 
service,  with  the  view  of  approximating  harmony  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  punishments.  Thus,  for  instance,  it  was  the  rule 
with  most  of  the  regiments,  that  public  women  detected  in 
the  barracks  fell  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  colonel.  The 
latter  usually  had  them  publicly  whipped  by  the  very  soldiers 
in  whose  company  they  had  been  caught.  It  was  revolting  to 
the  men  to  be  made  the  instruments  of  such  a  chastisement, 
and  they  often  vented  their  aversion  to  so  sudden  an  exchange 
of  the  functions  of  a  paramour  for  those  of  the  beadle,  in  acts 
of  flagrant  insubordination.  On  one  occasion  of  this  kind  in 
Nancy,  in  1748,  three  grenadiers  were  hung  for  mutiny. 
Though  unsuccessful  in  his  efforts  to  bring  about  the  total 
abolition  of  this  degrading  punishment,  Kalb  at  least  effected 
the  dispensation  of  the  men  of  his  own  regiment  from  being 

the  instruments  of  it.4 
1* 


10  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Nor  is  it  in  these  more  important  matters  alone  that  Kalb 
watched  over  the  interests  of  the  soldiers  entrusted  to  him. 
He  was  equally  vigilant  in  the  smallest  matters  of  detail.  At 
one  time  he  is  called  upon  to  indicate  theclaimto  fifteen  beds 
accorded  to  the  German  infantry  by  a  capitulation  of  May 
1,  1733,  in  which  he  is  sustained  by  the  minister  of  war 
against  the  commissary-general.  Again  he  is  found  procuring 
a  decision  adjusting  differences  between  the  major  attached  to 
a  post  and  the  major  attached  to  the  regiment  which  gar- 
risons the  post,  and  determining  which  of  them  shall  be 
entitled  to  claim  the  sword  of  a  regimental  officer  who 
dies  in  garrison.  And  again  he  obtains  the  extradition  of 
deserters  who  have  been  mustered  into  a  French  regiment, 
and  accomplishes  the  ascertainment  of  the  rule  under  which 
a  soldier  may  change  his  regiment  without  incurring  the 
penalty  of  desertion.  Neither  did  the  detaUs  of  the  service 
distract  his  attention  from  the  scientific  branches  of  his 
profession,  on  the  one  hand,  or  the  political  horizon  which 
foreboded  the  speedy  return  of  hostilities  between  England 
and  France  on  the  other.  In  concluding  the  peace  of  Aix-la- 
Chapelle  in  1748  both  parties  had  studiously  left  the  terms  so 
vague,  and  their  mutual  claims  to  certain  American  posses- 
sions so  undecided,  that  the  war  was  unavoidably  renewed  at 
the  earliest  opportunity.  During  all  the  eight  years  that 
ensued,  the  two  nations  were  eying  each  other  in  an  attitude, 
of  preparation.  In  1754,  before  the  Seven  Years'  War  was 
thought  of,  skirmishes  and  encounters  frequently  occurred 
between  the  English  and  the  French  garrisons  in  Canada,  and 
on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi,  in  which  the  English  were  gen- 
erally worsted.  The  war  had  already  become  inevitable, 
although  it  was  not  formally  declared  before  the  beginning 


LIFE     OF    KALE.  11 

of  the  year  1756.  Kalb  was  well  aware  of  its  approach,  and, 
though  a  German,  he  cherished  his  full  share  of  the  hatred 
of  the  French  against  the  English. 

Convinced  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  means  of  maritime 
defence  then  at  the  disposal  of  France,  he  ventured,  about 
end  of  the  year  1754,  when  the  news  of  the  first  disturbances 
in  America  was  received  in  France,  to  submit  to  M.  Machault, 
the  minister  of  marine,  a  plan  for  the  formation  of  a  foreign 
regiment  of  marine  infantry,  which  was  to  be  organized  with 
a  particular  view  to  sudden  landings  on  the  coasts  of  England 
and  her  colonies.  Then  as  now  the  British  were  tormented 
by  perpetual  fears  of  a  French  invasion  of  the  island.  In 
1744  Marshal  Saxe  had  engaged  in  preparations  for  a  landing, 
in  concert  with  the  Scotch  pretender,  at  Dunkirk,  and  had 
thereby  constrained  the  withdrawal  of  the  English  forces 
from  Flanders  quite  as  effectually  as  if  the  threat  had  been 
actually  carried  out.  The  success  of  the  marshal  on  that 
occasion  appears  to  have  first  directed  Kalb's  attention  to  the 
subject.  How  well  his  plan  accorded  with  the  national  incli- 
nations, and  how  popular  a  project  of  this  kind  always  has 
been  and  always  will  be,  has  been  abundantly  shown  by  the 
subsequent  history  of  the  monarchy,  the  republic,  and  the 
empire.  Two  years  after  the  rejection  of  Kalb's  proposition 
Marshal  Belleisle,  the  successor  of  d'Argenson  as  minister  of 
war,  conceived  the  design  of  crossing  the  channel  in  flat-bot- 
tomed craft,  and  was  seconded  in  this  hairbrained  project  by 
the  most  influential  parties  of  the  court,  headed  by  that  mys- 
terious personage,  the  Count  St.  Germain.  In  1759  Choiseul 
managed  to  secure  the  neutrality  of  Holland  and  the  alliance 
of  Sweden,  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  him  to  land  in  Eng- 
land and  dictate  terras  of  peace  to  the  enemy  in  London 


12  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

itself.  His  fleet,  however,  was  disabled  in  the  Bay  of  Quibe- 
ron,  which  frustrated  a  movement  undertaken  at  immense 
expense.  Like  a  sacred  tradition  these  expeditions  recur  as 
often  as  a  war  with  England  ia  declared  or  threatened. 
Louis  XVI.  made  similar  preparations.  Under  the  directory 
a  fleet  of  gunboats  was  maintained  in  the  channel  for  years, 
with  a  like  object.  Napoleon  I.  is  well  known  to  have  enter- 
tained similar  designs  at  Boulogne,  and  the  lower  empire 
would  not  be  the  faithful  caricature  of  its  predecessor  which 
it  is,  if  its  Chauvins  did  not  brandish  their  sabres  at  the 
northern  horizon,  and  prate  of  the  humiliation  of  England  in 
her  own  capital,  whenever  it  served  the  turn  of  their  lord  and 
master.  Let  us  hear  Kalb's  own  exposition  of  his  views  of 
the  best  means  of  humbling  the  pride  of  Albion  in  his  day.* 
"  A  regiment  of  foreign  marines,"  he  says  in  his  memorial, 
"  would  be  of  undoubted  advantage  to  the  king.  It  should 
number  from  eight  to  twelve  hundred  men,  and  would  have  to 
serve  on  land,  on  the  coast,  in  the  colonies,  and  on  board  the 
navy,  and  be  composed  of  Germans,  Danes,  Swedes,  English- 
men, inhabitants  of  our  own  seaboard  provinces,  but  above  all 
things  of  Irishmen.  The  latter  are  universally  known  to  be 
the  best  sailors  and  marines  of  the  English  navy ;  besides, 
they  are  Roman  Catholics.  Their  concourse  to  our  flag 
might  make  it  possible  for  us  to  people  a  considerable  part 
of  our  colonies  with  them.  By  making  this  disposition  of 
them  we  might  secure  the  adherence  of  numbers  of  Irishmen 
in  any  undertaking  against  the  naval  power,  the  colonies,  or 
the  provinces  of  England,  and  might  keep  ourselves  well 
informed  of  all  the  hostile  movements  of  the  British.  All 
the  world  is  aware  of  the  hatred  cherished  by  the  Irish  against 
the  English.  The  former  never  served  the  latter  for  any 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  13 

other  reason  than  the  want  of  better  employment.  It  is  re* 
markable  that  this  project  has  not  been  broached  heretofore. 
How  invaluable  would  such  a  corps  have  been  to  the  State  at 
the  time  when  the  king  had  sixteen  thousand  Irishmen  in  his 
service !  For  six  and  forty  years  France  has  had  no  more 
tnisty  soldiers,  none  who  served  her,  on  all  occasions,  with 
greater  zeal  and  efficiency.  But  they  would  have  been  much 
more  useful  at  sea  than  on  land,  for  the  former  must  be  re- 
garded as  their  native  element." 

After  detailing  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  the 
adoption  of  his  plan,  Kalb  proceeds  to  discuss  the  disposition 
of  the  force  to  be  raised. 

"  Detachments,"  he  continues,  "  should  be  sent  to  Quebec 
and  Louisburg,  and  recruited  in  Nova  Scotia,  which  colony  is 
almost  exclusively  inhabited  by  English  and  Irish  Catholics. 
By  this  means  we  should  be  furnished  with  every  information 
which  it  would  be  to  our  interest  to  receive  from  that  portion 
of  America.  Other  detachments  could  be  usefully  employed 
at  Martinique,  Guadaloupe,  and  Marie  Galante,  as  these  islands 
command  all  the  other  French  and  all  the  English  possessions 
in  that  quarter,  in  consequence  of  the  easterly  winds  prevail- 
ing there  from  year's  end  to  year's  end,  and  which  would  enable 
us  in  twenty-four  hours  to  reach  Barbadoes,  Antigua,  and  the 
remaining  English  Antilles,  which  carry  on  considerable  com- 
merce. The  same  advantage  is  offered  by  Cape  Francjais,  the 
best  harbor  in  that  portion  of  San  Domingo,  subject  to  the 
King,  which  lies  to  windward  of  Jamaica,  the  most  important 
English  possession  in  America.  A  strong  detachment  of  the 
regiment  posted  there,  and  commanded  by  officers  of  zeal  and 
intelligence,  might  secure  the  fullest  and  most  reliable 
intelligence  about  the  strength  of  the  English,  their  move- 


14  LIFEOFKALB. 

rnents,  their  weak  points,  and  the  best  means  of  surprising 
them. 

"  If  the  regiment  is  to  render  the  service  fairly  to  be  ex- 
pected, it  must  be  formed  and  instructed  in  time.  Soldiers 
reared  in  a  discipline  of  years  may  be  depended  on  for  im- 
plicit obedience  in  any  enterprise,  while  ignorance  of  the 
country  and  of  the  hostile  resources  will  always  expose  an 
army  to  the  misfortunes  which  befell  the  fleet  commanded  by 
the  Due  d'Antin  in  1740  and  1741.  His  attack  upon  Ja- 
maica failed  from  utter  want  of  knowledge  of  the  country. 
Had  he  been  in  command  of  soldiers  such  as  I  propose  to 
raise,  he  would  have  been  sufficiently  apprised  that  the  English 
had  not  a  tenth  part  of  the  force  attributed  to  them  in  his 
calculations.  Besides,  it  is  notorious  that  the  British  suc- 
ceeded in  taking  Fort  St.  Louis  on  San  Domingo  only  on  ac- 
count of  the  cowardice  of  the  garrison  ;  they  could  never 
have  reduced  it,  had  it  been  defended  by  a  well-disciplined 
force  such  as  I  have  suggested." 

Kalb  concludes  his  memorial  by  proposing  to  bestow  the 
commissions  on  the  Catholic  nobility  and  gentry  of  England 
and  Ireland,  as  a  measure  most  acceptable  to  the  younger 
sons  of  those  families,  and  calculated  greatly  to  multiply  the 
devoted  subjects  of  the  French  crown. 

The  plan  is  accompanied  by  two  specifications,  which  ex- 
haust the  technical  details  of  the  project.  The  first  of  these» 
supplements  discusses  the  composition  and  organization  of  the 
regiment,  its  pay,  equipment,  and  discipline  ',  while  the  second 
gives  the  outlines  of  a  "  capitulation  "  designed  to  regulate 
the  rights  and  duties  of  the  regiment  as  against  the  crown. 

The  work  has  here  been  reproduced  in  its  leading  details, 
because  it  brings  out  in  bold  relief  the  young  officer's  politi- 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  15 

cal  intelligence  and  military  acquirements.  He  speaks  with- 
out reserve  or  circumlocution,  not  as  a  craven  sycophant, 
greedy  of  private  gain,  but  as  a  man  convinced  of  the  merits 
of  his  case,  and  anxious  to  make  all  the  energies  of  his  adopt- 
ed country  available  against  its  most  formidable  foe. 

Nor  did  Kalb  deceive  himself  as  to  the  obstacles  to  be 
encountered.  He  saw  very  clearly  that  his  subordinate  posi- 
tion in  the  military  hierarchy  was  a  hindrance  in  his  path, 
the  more  so  as  his  designs  involved  the  most  important  ques- 
tions of  foreign  politics,  of  the  finances,  and  of  colonial  de- 
fence. Aside  from  these  scruples  on  the  score  of  the  public 
welfare,  he  also  came  into  collision  with  the  interests  of  the 
colonels  who  commanded  foreign  regiments  in  the  French, 
service,  and  recruited  them  in  Ireland,  Germany,  and  the  sea- 
board provinces. 

While  the  king  and  his  mistresses  were  wasting  millions, 
and  scandalously  neglecting  the  army  and  the  soldier,  the 
minister  of  marine,  to  sustain  the  existing  establishment,  was 
driven  to  exercise  the  most  rigid  parsimony,  and  could  hardly 
be  expected  to  consent  to  an  expenditure  less  indispensable 
than  others,  and  admitting  of  no  test  of  its  practical  efficacy 
except  the  ordeal  of  actual  warfare. 

Nevertheless,  Kalb  made  the  effort,  and  followed  it  up 
with  vigor  and  skill.  He  enlisted  the  cooperation  of  an  older 
officer,  Lieutenant-colonel  Niell,  of  the  Dillon  regiment,  by 
designating  him  for  the  colonelcy  of  the  proposed  organiza- 
tion, of  which  Kalb  was  to  be  the  senior  major.  Directing 
his  first  operation  against  the  opposition  of  the  colonels,  he 
undertook  to  dissipate  their  fears  of  his  competition  with 
their  recruiting  sergeants,  by  showing  that  the  new  regiment, 
instead  of  interfering  with  the  old  ones,  would  attract  BO 


16  LIFE    OF    RAM'.. 

many  recruits,  as  to  open  a  new  and  abundant  source  of  sup- 
ply to  all  the  foreign  regiments.  Finding  tha  there  was  little 
hope  of  convincing  the  minister  by  means  of  a  written  corre- 
spondence, he  procured  a  furlough,  and  travelled,  early  in  the 
year  1755,  from  Cambray  to  Paris,  where  he  obtained  audi- 
ences of  the  minister  of  war  and  marine,  and  their  subordi- 
nates. He  also  endeavored  to  make  interest  with  the  most 
influential  persons  at  the  Court  of  Versailles.  The  Keeper  of 
the  Great  Seal  received  him  with  especial  kindness,  and  en- 
couraged him  in  the  active  prosecution  of  his  purpose.  For 
a  moment  things  looked  promising,  and  success  imminent ; 
but  the  naval  minister,  on  whose  accession  everything  de- 
pended, soon  showed  a  disposition  to  procrastinate.  M.  de 
Machault  was  lavish  in  the  praise  of  the  originator  of  the 
plan,  but  deferred  its  detailed  examination  from  day  to  day. 
The  English  colonels  were  particularly  active  in  their  in- 
trigues against  Kalb.  His  friend  Niell,  of  more  mature  ex- 
perience, and  better  acquainted  with  the  ways  of  the  court, 
advised  him  to  gain  over  one  or  two  of  Madame  de  Pompa- 
dour's especial  favorites,  by  promising  them  the  patronage 
of  the  most  lucrative  positions  connected  with  the  new  regi- 
ment, and  to  allure  de  la  Porte,  the  first  secretary  of  the 
minister  of  marine,  by  cutting  down  the  estimates  to  the 
lowest  figure.  This  courtly  game  was  repulsive  to  Kalb's 
frank  and  open  nature.  He  answered  his  friend  by  saying 
that  he  was  advocating  a  public  me  isure,  in  which  he  coveted 
nothing  for  himself  except  an  opportunity  of  achieving  mili- 
tary distinction,  and  that  he  would  not  stoop  to  the  role  of  a 
flatterer  or  a  suppliant.  Preferring  to  renounce  his  plan, 
and  preserve  his  military  honor,  he  left  Paris  in  May,  1755, 
and  returned  to  his  garrison  at  Cambray,  where,  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  he  was  promoted  to  a  majority  in  his  regiment. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  SEVEN  TEAKS'  WAR. — POSITION  OF  THE  GERMAN  OFFICERS  IN  THE  FRENCH 
ARMY. — HISTORICAL  RESUME  OF  THE  POLITICAL  DEVELOPMENT  OF  GER- 
MANY.— IMPOSING  POSITION  OF  FRANCE  IN  EUROPE. — FOREIGN  REGIMENTS 
IN  THE  FRENCH  SERVICE. — NUMBER  OF  GERMAN  REGIMENTS. — WANT  OF 
NATIONAL  SPIRIT  AMONG  THEM. — THE  FRENCH  ARMY  AT  THE  BREAKING 
OUT  OF  THE  WAR.- — CAMPAIGNS  IN  LOWER  GERMANY. — BATTLE  OF  ROSS- 
BACH. — RELATIONS  OF  KALB  WITH  BROGLIE. — BATTLE  OF  BERGEN. — THE 
NEW  COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF  DESIRES  TO  TRANSFER  HIM  TO  THE  CORPS  OF 
THE  SAXON  ALLIES. — BATTLE  OF  GREBENSTEIN,  OR  WILHELMSTHAL. — KALB 
IN  THE  WETTERAW  AND  IN  FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN. — Hs  ASSISTS  A  NUM- 
BER OF  DUCAL  AND  NOBLE  FAMILIES  IN  PRESENTING  THEIR  CLAIMS  FOR 

INDEMNITY  AGAINST  THE  FRENCH  COMMISSARIAT. — PATRIOTIC  LETTER  OF 
THE  PRINCESS  OF  BRAUNFELS. — AT  THE  CONCLUSION  OF  PEACE  KALB  GOES 
INTO  GARRISON  AT  LANDAU. 

r  I  iHE  Seven  Years'  War,  through  which  we  are  now  to 
-*•  follow  the  fortunes  of  Major  Kalb,  will  claim  our  atten- 
tion in  so  far  only  as  our  hero  was  actively  concerned  in  it. 
Neither  in  a  personal  nor  in  a  political  point  of  view  do  we 
find  him  in  an  enviable  position.  The  ignominy  and  disaster 
of  the  French  arms  could  not  but  throw  a  shade  upon  every 
officer,  however  individually  brave  and  effective,  and  could 
not  but  embitter  the  pursuit  of  his  profession.  Moreover,  a 
German  could  feel  but  little  honor  in  finding  himself  arrayed 
against  his  country  in  the  war  which  for  the  first  time  after 
more  than  a  century  of  national  humiliation,  restored  the 
piide  of  his  people,  and  brought  them  back  to  the  upward 
course  of  political  and  intellectual  progress.  Much  as  Kalb 


18  LIFE    OP    K  ALB. 

resented  the  former  grievance,  the  influences  of  the  times  no 
doubt  made  him  perfectly  callous  to  the  latter;  nor  in  jus- 
tice can  he  be  made  answerable  for  this  his  position  in  the 
French  army. 

The  practice  of  taking  service  under  the  French  flag 
must  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  lamentable  con- 
dition of  the  German  people  in  the  period  intervening  be- 
tween the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  and  that  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  Germany  had  well-nigh  bled  to  death 
in  the  Reformation.  It  had  vindicated  the  liberty  of  the 
individual  judgment  in  matters  of  faith,  but  had  failed  to 
make  the  same  principle  the  corner-stone  of  its  political  and 
social  structure.  The  Thirty  Years'  War  had  broken  down 
the  power  of  the  nation.  The  Peace  of  Westphalia  but  set 
the  seal  upon  its  impotence,  which  it  perpetuated  by  ac- 
knowledging the  virtual  sovereignty  of  the  vassal  of  the 
buried  empire.  The  petty  princes  thus  emancipated  from 
the  control  of  the  emperor,  but  too  weak  to  defend  them- 
selves, sought  protection  and  support  abroad,  particularly  in 
France,  which,  for  the  very  purpose  of  bruising  the  strength 
of  its  neighbor,  constituted  itself  the  guardian  of  what  it 
called  the  "  German  liberties  " — a  terra  intended  to  designate 
the  privileges  usurped  by  these  petty  magnates — and  which 
thereby  attained  the  dignity  of  arbiter  in  the  affairs  of 
Europe.  It  was  a  natural  incident  of  this  system  that  the 
centralizing  despotism  of  Louis  XIV.  was  studiously  imitated 
by  the  narrow-minded,  puny,  and  brutal  German  satraps. 
Paris  and  Versailles  were  the  models,  the  potent  influence 
of  which  speedily  penetrated  the  inmost  heart  of  Germany. 
French  licentiousness  and  statecraft  soon  remained  the  only 
tics  of  union  and  accord  between  the  divided  and  jealous 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  19 

potentates.  The  very  German  sovereigns  who  stickled  so 
persistently  for  the  indicia  of  rank  and  dignity  at  home, 
crawled  in  the  dust  before  Louis  XIV.  and  his  successor, 
took  the  wages  of  their  degradation  in  large  sums  of  ready 
money,  and  voluntarily  abased  themselves  before  the  most 
insignificant  French  noblemen.  A  conspicuous  but  by  no 
means  solitary  instance  is  found  in  the  behavior  of  the  elec- 
tor Charles  Albert  of  Bavaria,  afterward  Charles  VII., 
toward  the  Duke  of  Belleisle,  in  whom  he  venerated  "  the 
creator  of  his  good  fortune,  the  arbiter  of  his  fate." 

Even  after  the  inglorious  issue  of  the  Seven  Tears'  War 
the  German  princes  flocked  to  the  standard  of  France,  leav- 
ing their  pride  of  place  behind  them.  "  All  the  German 
princes,  sovereigns  at  home,"  says  Segur  in  his  Memoirs, 
"were  treated  as  equals 'by  the  French  nobility  in  Paris. 
No  one  ever  heard  of  any  distinction  being  made  between 
Prince  Max  of  Deuxponts,  the  future  King  of  Bavaria, 
and  the  French  nobles  who  served  with  him,  or  kept  his 
company."  These  princes  of  the  empire  forfeited  their  com- 
missions and  their  honor  by  refusing  to  accept  a  challenge 
from  a  needy  French  adventurer.  The  fondness  of  the 
French  gentry  for  such  encounters  with  their  princely  com- 
rades, and  the  equivocal  renown  achieved  by  some  of  the 
latter  in  accepting  these  opportunities,  are  the  theme  of  ex- 
tended narratives  given  by  Segur  of  occurrences  in  the  eighth 
decade  of  that  century.' 

In  the  eyes  of  the  men  of  Versailles,  the  peoples  existed 
simply  as  objects  of  barter  and  trade  by  cabinets  and  di- 
plomatists. The  arbitrary  will  of  the  prince  was  the  su- 
preme law,  the  vivifying  and  invigorating  power  of  the 
State  ;  in  sovereign  ignorance  of  national  conditions  and  na- 


20  LIFKOFKALB. 

tional  relations,  the  monarch's  selfish  and  purblind  policy 
subverted  the  prosperity  of  his  subjects,  and  respected  no 
limit  and  no  law  except  his  fancy  and  caprice.  Between  the 
despotism  of  France  and  that  of  Germany,  there  was  but 
one  distinction ;  that,  however,  was  an  enormous  one.  The 
former,  an  offshoot  of  the  soil  on  which  it  grew,  was  nation- 
al, original,  formidable,  and  of  vast  dimensions ;  the  latter, 
foreign  to  the  German  mind  in  all  its  features,  was  a  paltry 
and  ridiculous  caricature. 

Like  master,  like  man  ;  the  difference  between  the  sover- 
eigns found  its  counterpart  in  the  difference  between  the 
nobilities  of  the  two  countries.  In  the  days  of  Hutten  and 
Sickingen  the  German  barons  had  maintained  their  position 
as  the  natural  champions  of  popular  interests  against  the 
increasing  pretensions  of  the  princes  ;  the  absolute  power  of 
the  latter  could  not  fail  to  deprive  the  landed  gentry  of  their 
independence,  and  to  degrade  them  to  the  level  of  courtiers. 
Cringing  and  subservient  to  those  above  them,  supercilious 
and  overbearing  to  the  lowly,  the  entire  class  had  become  a 
parasitic  plant  upon  the  body  politic,  and  the  very  best  spe- 
cimens of  the  order  were  nothing  more  than  soulless  tools  in 
the  hands  of  governmental  power  For  the  noble,  as  for  his 
master,  Paris  was  the  sun  round  which  the  earth  revolved ; 
he,  too,  was  nothing  but  the  thoughtless  ape  of  French  man- 
ners and  customs,  the  hairbrained  contemner  of  domestic, 
affairs  and  domestic  opinions.  It  was  regarded  as  the  height 
of  good  fortune  to  have  visited  Paris  and  Versailles,  and  no 
honor  was  more  coveted  than  that  of  seeing  the  French 
king.  At  home,  the  nobility  had  the  monopoly  of  the  army 
commissions  and  court  charges ;  but  these  were  far  from 
sufficing  for  the  maintenance  of  its  numerous  progeny,  who 


LIFE     OF    K  ALB.  21 

were  therefore  driven  to  look  for  distinction,  reputation,  and 
emoluments,  in  the  civil  and  military  service  of  foreign 
countries.  In  fact,  the  class  had  ceased  to  have  a  country ; 
the  very  idea  had  come  to  be  rated  among  the  prejudices  of 
the  "  canaille."  The  well-known  Count  Bonneval,  a  wretch 
without  honor  or  shame,  who  trampled  upon  all  the  virtues 
that  grace  humanity,  who,  after  serving  successively  in  the 
armies  of  France  and  of  the  Empire,  forswore  his  faith  and 
died  as  a  Turkish  pacha,  spoke  not  his  own  language  merely, 
but  revealed  the  sentiments  of  his  whole  order,  particularly 
of  the  German  portion  of  it,  when  he  wrote  apologetically 
to  Prince  Eugene  of  Savoy  that  he  was  "  far  from  entertain- 
ing that  love  of  country  to  which  the  common  people  addict 
themselves." 

For  men  of  this  description  France  was  the  goal  of  all 
ambition.  Throughout  the  past  century  we  find  the  princes, 
counts,  and  barons  of  the  Empire  in  French  livery.  There 
were,  in  this  service,  a  number  of  German  regiments,  partly 
raised  in  the  German  provinces  of  France,  partly  recruited 
from  native  Germans,  and  always  commanded  by  German 
officers.  In  1748  the  foreign  troops  belonging  to  the  French 
king  numbered  52,315  ;  among  them  were  no  less  than  nine- 
teen German  infantry  battalions,  with  525  officers  and  17,- 
604  of  the  rank  and  file,  and  three  regiments  of  cavalry, 
numbering  78  officers  and  1,440  troopers,  exclusive  of  the 
thir  een  Swiss  regiments,  of  806  officers  and  17,940  enlisted 
men,  thousands  of  whom  were  Germans.  Even  in  1776, 
when  this  state  of  things  was  approaching  its  close,  the 
Germans  in  the  pay  of  France  comprised  eight  regiments  of 
foot  with  448  officers  and  12,032  privates,  besides  three  cav- 
alry regiments  of  96  officers  and  2,520  men.7 


22  LIFEOFKALB. 

These  foreign  troops  Avere  maintained  in  pursuance  of  a 
well-directed  policy.  "  Anxious  as  the  foreign  regiments 
otherwise  were  to  assimilate  themselves  to  the  French,"  says 
Eugene  Fieffe, "  they  always  received  the  words  of  command 
in  their  own  languages.  Even  in  times  of  peace  the  ranks 
were  kept  better  filled  than  those  of  the  home  levies,  partly 
on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  recruiting  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try in  time  of  war,  and  partly  on  account  of  the  importance 
of  keeping  the  veterans  who  would  otherwise  have  enlisted 
under  another  flag.  Their  pay,  too,  was  higher.  Many  of 
these  corps  belonged  to  princes  or  foreign  great  lords,  whom 
it  was  desirable  to  attach  to  the  interests  of  France.  In 
other  respects  these  soldiers  were  subjected  to  the  same  or- 
ganization and  discipline  as  the  French  regiments.  In  most 
cases  they  did  excellent  service,  having  the  esprit  de  corps 
strongly  developed,  consisting  to  a  large  extent  of  old  cam- 
paigners, and  being  in  the  hands  of  officers  who  were  born 
and  died  in  the  regiments.  They  were  an  object  of  constant 
solicitude  to  the  Government,  by  whom  they  were  regarded 
as  their  most  reliable  support,  and  as  an  invaluable  counter- 
poise to  the  less  pliant  elements  of  the  army.  The  king  and 
the  princes  frequently  reviewed  them,  as  a  means  of  keeping 
up  a  personal  intercourse  with  the  colonels,  to  whom  their 
visits  were  of  course  extremely  flattering.  On  such  occa- 
sions each  of  the  princes  was  furnished  with  a  little  cardv 
containing  translations  and  explanations  of  the  commands 
and  manoeuvres.  These  cards  were  kept  carefully  concealed 
in  the  palm  of  the  hand  or  under  the  saddle." 

In  Kalb's  early  days  the  disposition  of  the  Germans  to 
become  French  soldiers  was  particularly  stimulated  by  the 
examples  of  two  distinguished  men,  the  Marshal  Saxe,  who 


LIFEOFKALB.  23 

was  commander-in-chief,  and  Count  Loewendal,  who  subse- 
quently became  Marshal  of  France.  As  the  political  spirit 
of  the  century  was  rather  cosmopolitan  than  national,  and 
as  the  military  spirit  of  the  time  was  peculiarly  exempt 
from  the  sentiment  of  nationality,  so  the  wars  of  that  period 
were  cabinet  enterprises,  in  which  the  weal  or  woe  of  the 
people  was  not  at  all,  or  but  very  little  considered.  The 
German  people,  in  particular,  had  become  so  inured  to  this 
passive  role,  it  was  split  into  such  a  host  of  petty  sovereign- 
ties,  and  so  impoverished  in  ideals,  in  spirit,  and  in  energy, 
that  the  members  no  longer  acted  upon  a  common  principle 
of  life,  and  few  men  ever  gave  a  thought  to  matters  outside 
of  the  sound  of  the  village  bell,  or  beyond  the  turnpike 
gates  of  the  provincial  domain. 

An  evidence  of  this  deplorable  state  of  things  is  found 
in  the  fact  that  when,  in  the  American  revolution,  England 
hired  troops  from  Brunswick,  Hesse,  Anspach,  Waldeck, 
and  Zerbst,  these  poor  conscripts  never  had  a  thought  of  a 
common  country,  and  never  opposed  to  the  English,  French, 
or  Americans,  any  other  fatherland  than  the  little  duchy  or 
county  which  had  sold  them  into  bondage.  I  have  perused 
at  least  fifty  volumes  of  manuscript  reports,  diaries,  and  letters 
relating  to  this  enforced  participation  of  the  German  yeo- 
manry in  the  attempted  subjugation  of  the  British  colonies, 
without  ever  once  stumbling  upon  the  use  of  the  bare  word 
"  German."  "Forward,  brave  Waldeckers  !  Hessians,  show 
yourselves  worthy  of  your  ancient  fame !  Down  with  the 
rebels,  my  doughty  Brunswickers !  "  Such  are  the  shouts 
addressed  to  their  valor ;  even  when  slighted,  their  common 
origin  never  occurred  to  them ;  for  these  poor  devils  there 
was  no  Germany ;  they  knew  only  their  Waldeck,  Bruns- 


24  LIFEOFKALB. 

•wick,  or  Zerbst  sultans,  except  when  called  on  to  hurrah  for 
the  King  of  England,  their  liege  lord  by  trade  and  barter. 

If,  then,  the  relation  of  master  and  servant  was  the  only 
one  recognized  in  the  eighteenth  century,  if  the  princes  and 
lords  of  Germany  never  scrupled  to  bear  arms  against  their 
country  when  their  interests  prompted,  if  military  honor  and 
distinction  were  the  sole  ambition  of  the  soldier,  how  could 
an  individual  be  expected  to  entertain  that  sentiment  of  pa- 
triotism which  can  only  spring  from  an  appreciation  of  the 
value  of  citizenship,  from  an  active  and  constant  participa- 
tion in  the  affairs  of  the  community  and  the  State  ?  The 
best  fruit  of  the  Seven  Years'  War  was  the  faint  revival  of 
this  feeling,  and  it  was  left  for  the  present  century  to  wit- 
ness its  restoration. 

The  times,  therefore,  and  those  who  brought  them  on, 
must  bear  the  blame,  if  we  find  the  German  estranged  from 
his  native  land.  Let  us  be  thankful  that  the  return  of  na- 
tional pride  and  national  honor  has  put  an  end  to  a  state 
of  things  which  drove  thousands  of  Germans  to  fight  against 
their  country. 

At  the  period  of  Kalb's  entrance  into  the  French  army, 
the  brilliant  monarchy  of  Louis  XIV.  was  already  tottering 
to  its  fall.  A  German  commander  still  achieved  French 
victories,  and  a  large  portion  of  Germany  was  still  in  the 
tutelage  of  France ;  but  the  policy  which  respected  nothing 
but  the  interests  of  the  State  was  no  longer  pursued,  and 
after  the  death  of  Cardinal  Fleury  (1V43),  the  last  statesman 
of  the  old  school,  the  management  of  affairs  became  a  mere 
appendage  to  the  intrigues  of  the  court  and  the  orgies  of  the 
king's  mistresses.  The  first  work  of  this  new  power  was  an 
expensive  and  disgraceful  war,  in  which  the  country  had  no 


LIFEOFKALB.  25 

interest  whatever,  and  which  cost  her  most  of  her  influence 
in  the  councils  of  Europe,  her  navy,  and  the  greater  part  of 
her  foreign  colonies. 

It  was  no  want  of  courage  in  the  soldier  or  the  subaltern 
that  produced  these  reverses,  but  the  miserable  generalship  of 
the  creatures  of  Madame  de  Pompadour,  who  frittered  away 
their  time  iu  petty  bickerings,  jealousies,  and  debauchery, 
guided  and  controlled  by  nothing  except  the  freaks  of  court 
intrigue.  Wherever  the  French  soldier  was  under  good 
leadership,  wherever  he  had  confidence  in  his  commanders, 
his  conduct  in  this  war  was  as  good  as  in  any  other ;  and 
there  are  instances  of  personal  daring  fit  to  stand  beside  the 
greatest  in  history.  Frederick  the  Great  himself  appreciated 
their  courage,  and  remarked  that  under  good  generals  they 
would  have  achieved  as  many  victories  as  they  sustained 
defeats  under  bad  ones. 

The  King  of  Prussia  baffled  the  designs  of  his  adversa- 
ries, and  opened  the  war,  in  1756,  by  his  unexpected  irrup- 
tion into  Saxony.  France,  also,  had  not  calculated  upon  the 
commencement  of  hostilities  earlier  than  the  spring  of  1757, 
for  it  was  only  in  September,  1756,  that  steps  were  taken  to 
place  the  forces  on  a  war  footing.  Of  the  German  infantry, 
three  battalions  of  each  of  the  Alsace  regiments  and  two 
battalions  of  each  of  the  regiments  Bentheim,  la  Mark, 
Royal  Suedois,  Royal  Baviere,  and  Loewendal  were  raised 
from  400  to  680  men  in  the  course  of  the  winter,  and  at- 
tached to  the  "  Army  of  the  Upper  Rhine,"  which,  number- 
ing 30,000  men,  and  commanded  by  the  Prince  of  Soubise, 
crossed  the  Rhine  at  Dusseldorf,  and  advanced  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Saxony.  At  the  same  time  the  Marshal  d'Estree, 
with  70,000  men,  invaded  northwestern  Germany,  and, 
2 


26  LIFEOFKALB. 

without  encountering  any  considerable  opposition,  occupied 
Cleve,  Westphalia,  East  Friesland,  and  Hesse  Cassel. 

The  French  commander  in  this  department  proved  de- 
cidedly superior  to  his  antagonist,  the  Duke  of  Cumberland, 
and  defeated  him  on  the  26th  of  July,  1757,  at  Hastenbeck. 
He  was  unable,  however,  to  follow  up  his  successes,  being 
recalled  in  consequence  of  a  court  cabal,  and  supplanted  by 
the  Due  de  Richelieu.  The  latter  drove  the  enemy  to  the 
coast  of  the  North  Sea,  between  the  Elbe  and  the  Weser, 
and  then  concluded  the  capitulation  of  Kloster  Seven,  which 
was  repudiated  by  all  parties.  He  directed  his  attention 
principally  to  the  plunder  of  the  conquered  provinces,  and 
derived  but  little  benefit  from  the  advantages  obtained  in 
the  field.  In  September,  while  Richelieu,  with  the  main 
army,  advanced  upon  Magdeburg,  the  corps  of  Prince  Sou- 
bise  marched  to  Erfurt,  where  it  formed  a  junction  with  the 
troops  of  the  Empire,  and  then  pushed  across  Thuringia  into 
Saxony,  there  to  cooperate  with  the  other  enemies  of  the 
King  of  Prussia  in  surrounding  him.  Frederick,  however, 
attacked  Soubise  along  the  whole  line  of  the  Saale,  and,  on 
the  5th  of  November,  1757,  inflicted  upon  him  that  over- 
whelming defeat  of  Rossbach,  a  victory  for  the  Prussians 
which  will  be  named  through  all  history. 

Kalb  took  part  in  this  battle.  His  regiment  belonged  to 
the  corps  of  the  Due  de  Broglie,  which  was  to  have  pre- ' 
vented  the  Prussians  from  crossing  the  Saale  at  Merseburg, 
but  was  driven  back  by  the  king  after  a  gallant  and  honora- 
ble resistance.  Victor  Francois  de  Broglie  (1718  to  1804), 
whom  we  shall  have  frequent  occasion  to  mention  in  the 
course  of  these  pages,  was  one  of  the  ablest  of  the  French 
captains  of  the  day.  Jomini  calls  him  the  only  French 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  27 

general  engaged  in  the  Seven  Years'  War  who  approved  him- 
self as  capable  on  all  occasions.  Of  course  Kalb,  like  all  the 
other  officers,  had  to  suffer  by  the  incompetence  of  Soubise; 
but,  though  involved  in  the  general  flight,  his  corps,  togeth- 
er with  that  of  Count  St.  Germain,  had  the  merit  of  protect- 
ing the  French  army  from  total  annihilation,  and  of  making 
it  possible  for  them  to  go  into  winter  quarters  in  the 
Wetteraw. 

If  the  moral  impression  produced  by  this  battle  upon  the 
German  people  was  even  more  important  than  its  strategic 
results,  its  deleterious  effects  upon  the  French  army,  and  es- 
pecially upon  the  German  portions  of  it,  were  no  less  per- 
ceptible. The  halo  which  had  encircled  the  French  arms  in 
Germany  for  more  than  a  century  was  thoroughly  dissipated 
by  the  5th  of  November,  1757.  The  mind  of  Germany 
broke  the  fetters  of  France,  recognized  its  inborn  vigor,  and 
began  to  return  to  its  own.  Without  Rossbach,  Leasing 
and  Kant  would  have  continued  to  preach  in  the  wilderness. 
Even  the  hard-fisted  hirelings  who  lived  by  selling  their 
lives  for  a  soldier's  pittance,  now  scorned  the  French  ser- 
vice, and  deserted  in  squads  and  platoons  to  the  Prussian 
colors,  where  they  found  more  honor  and  glory.  Kalb  him- 
self estimates  the  number  of  deserters  at  that  time  at  no 
less  than  ten  thousand.  During  the  winter  of  1757  to  1758 
this  defection  assumed  such  proportions  that  the  captains 
soon  found  it  impossible  to  keep  the  number  of  men  fit  for 
duty  at  the  prescribed  standard. 

The  evil  naturally  gave  rise  to  the  most  varied  proposals 
of  amelioration ;  but  it  was  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
strike  at  its  root,  as  it  was  too  intimately  connected  with 
the  entire  French  military  system  of  those  times.  A  memo- 


28  HFEOFKALB 

rial  submitted  to  Kalb  for  his  opinion  proposed  to  take  the 
business  of  recruiting  out  of  the  hands  of  the  captains,  to 
combine  all  the  German  regiments  into  one  organization,  to 
consign  the  duty  of  canvassing  for  new  soldiers  for  all  the 
twenty-one  German  battalions  to  a  single  offiyer,  and  to  se- 
lect one  spot,  as  for  instance  Landau,  for  the  establishment 
of  a  common  depot  for  the  reception  and  equipment  of  re- 
cruits, thereby  securing  not  only  cheaper  and  more  reliable 
reinforcements,  but  also  a  better  control  over  the  soldiers 
detailed  to  the  various  regiments.  Kalb  regarded  so  radical 
a  measure  in  the  face  of  the  enemy  as  impracticable,8  as  it 
must  wound  the  self-love  and  infringe  the  vested  rights  of 
the  captains,  and  expose  the  German  regiments  to  utter  dis- 
organization. He  showed  that,  under  the  French  military 
system,  which,  in  this  respect  as  in  many  others,  could  bear 
no  comparison  with  the  Prussian,  the  captain  was  at  once 
officer,  broker,  and  capitalist,  bound,  for  a  certain  price,  to 
provide  the  king  with  a  given  number  of  soldiers,  and  in- 
terested in  selecting  the  best  recruits,  as  frequent  desertions 
would  soon  bring  him  into  debt,  and  even  subject  him  to 
the  risk  of  bankruptcy.  All  the  cheapness,  then,  which 
might  be  expected  from  the  contemplated  centralization  of 
the  recruiting  service,  must  be  counterbalanced  by  the  cor- 
responding depravation  in  point  of  quality  which  was  all 
the  more  certain  to  ensue,  as  the  officer  in  charge  of  the 
station  could  never  have  the  same  interest  as  the  captains, 
in  confining  himself  to  the  most  acceptable  material.  But 
even  admitting  that  the  plan  would  reduce  the  expense  of 
recruiting  and  diminish  desertion,  it  nevertheless  proceeded 
on  the  assumption  that  the  German  regiments  should  cease 
to  be  separated  by  different  traditions,  rights,  and  customs, 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  29 

and  should  all  be  reduced  to  a  common  level — a  measure 
which  would  run  foul  of  the  jealous  vigilance  with  which 
each  command  watched  over  the  preservation  of  its  particu- 
lar capitulations,  thus  making  it  impracticable  at  all  times, 
and  suicidal  in  time  of  war. 

It  would  seem  that  these  well-founded  objections  fore- 
stalled even  an  attempt  at  reform.  Matters  remained  un- 
changed, or  rather  the  evil  increased  to  such  an  extent  that 
about  the  close  of  the  year  1758  Belleisle,  the  minister  of 
war,  wrote  to  Marshal  Contade,  directing  him  to  fill  up  the 
waning  ranks  of  the  foreign  regiments  from  the  inhabitants 
of  the  hostile  countries.'  What  made  improvement  almost 
hopeless  was  the  evil  example  set  the  privates  by  the  major- 
ity of  the  officers,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  deserting  their 
posts  without  any  furlough,  to  indulge  in  the  winter  amuse- 
ments of  the  capital.  Every  officer  of  higher  rank  did  as  he 
pleased,  and  subordination  and  discipline  appeared  to  be  en- 
tirely forgotten. 

We  are  not  informed  whether  Kalb  took  part  in  all  the 
movements  of  the  Army  of  the  Upper  Rhine.  In  the  year 
1758  we  find  no  record  of  any  remarkable  event  in  his  life. 
It  is  reported  that  on  the  13th  of  April,  1759,  he  was  engaged  in 
the  victorious  battle  of  Bergen  with  his  regiment,  which  was 
posted  in  the  village  itself,  and  gallantly  aided  in  repulsing 
the  first  furious  onslaught  of  the  allies.  In  1760,  the  Loe- 
wendal  regiment  having  been  dissolved  and  divided  among 
the  regiments  Anhalt  and  La  Mark,  Marshal  Due  de  Broglie 
appointed  Kalb  assistant  quartermaster-general  (aide  mare- 
chai  general  des  loyis)  with  the  Army  of  the  Upper  Rhine,  a 
position  he  continued  to  occupy  to  the  close  of  the  war,  and 
which,  even  before  his  promotion  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant- 


30  LIFEOFKALB. 

i 

colonel  on  the  19th  of  May,  17G1,  brought  him  into  intimate 
relations  with  the  commander-in-chief.  Broglie  had  a  special 
preference  for  Kalb,  and  endeavored,  by  thus  lifting  him 
out  of  his  regiment,  to  facilitate  his  advancement  in  the 
army,  a  design  only  frustrated  by  the  early  appointment  of 
the  duke  himself  to  the  supreme  command. 

Henceforth,  wherever  we  find  the  Army  of  the  Upper 
Rhine,  we  find  Kalb  with  it.  The  daily  reports  of  d.e  la 
Valette,  the  commissary-in-chief  of  that  army,  copies  of  which 
are  before  me,  show,  that  until  the  conclusion  of  peace  Kalb 
was  not  missing  from  bis  post  a  single  day.  His  duties  were 
of  such  a  nature  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  make  a  narra- 
tive of  them.  He  distinguished  himself  not  only  by  zeal  and 
punctuality,  but  by  knowledge  and  intelligence,  and  made 
constant  progress  in  the  esteem  and  friendship  of  Marshal 
Broglie,  as  well  as  of  his  brother  and  subordinate,  the  count 
of  the  same  name.  This  intimacy  weathered  all  the  storms 
of  the  political  horizon,  and  endured,  as  we  shall  find  in  the 
sequel,  up  to  the  latest  hour  of  Kalb's  life.  He  never  after- 
ward took  an  important  step  without  consulting  the  Brog- 
lies,  and  enjoyed  their  cordial  sympathy  in  all  his  under- 
takings. When,  in  consequence  of  the  battle  of  Vellinghausen, 
the  duke  became  embroiled  with  Soubise,  and  was  displaced 
in  his  command  by  that  minion  of  the  Pompadour,  Kalb  testi- 
fied his  regret  and  resentment  of  this  injustice  in  so  unequiv- 
ocal a  manner,  as  entailed  upon  him  the  avowed  enmity  of 
Soubise,  which  was  not  long  in  finding  expression.  No  sooner 
had  the  hero  of  Rossbach  resumed  the  command,  than  he 
undertook  to  remove  Kalb — in  whom  he  saw  only  the  tool 
and  spy  of  the  Broglies — from  his  post,  and  to  attach  him, 
with  the  rank  of  major,  to  the  Saxon  corps  then  in  the  pay 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  31 

of  France  under  the  Count  of  Lusatia.  In  this  event  Kalb 
would  have  been  discharged  together  with  this  corps  at  the 
close  of  hostilities,  which  was  daily  expected,  without  any 
claims  of  readmission  into  the  French  army.  Of  course  he 
left  not  a  stone  unturned  to  escape  such  a  consummation. 
He  applied  for  a  majority  in  one  of  the  German  regiments, 
in  the  contingency  of  the  design  of  Soubise  being  carried  into 
execution,  and  was  prepared,  if  even  this  resource  should  fail, 
to  resign  his  commission.  Fortunately  for  him  his  immediate 
superiors,  Generals  de  Yogue  and  de  Salles  interposed,  and 
declared  Kalb's  efficient  services  indispensable  to  their  depart- 
ments.10 

If  these  intercessions  alone  were  not  sufficient,  they  were 
seconded  by  more  important  events,  brought  about  by  the 
carelessness  of  Soubise,  which  absorbed  his  attention  to  the 
entire  oblivion  of  Kalb,  who  retained  his  post  without  further 
molestation.  The  French  marshal,  instead  of  obeying  the 
instructions  which  confined  him  strictly  to  the  defence  of  the 
positions  occupied  by  Broglie,  undertook  to  dispute  the  Duke 
Ferdinand  of  Brunswick's  passage  of  the  Diemel,  but  suffered 
himself  to  be  surprised  by  the  allies  on  the  24th  of  June, 
1762,  on  the  banks  of  this  river  between  Grebenstein  and 
W  ilhelmsthal,  and  to  be  driven,  after  an  inglorious  defeat, 
under  the  very  guns  of  Cassel.  Ferdinand  even  compelled 
the  French  commander  to  evacuate  Gottingen  and  Munden, 
and  to  retreat  behind  the  Fulda. 

This  momentous  battle  of  Wilhelmsthal,  by  which  all  the 
advantages  gained  by  de  Broglie  were  sacrificed,  was  the 
last  important  engagement  in  that  quarter.  Kalb  shared  in 
the  disasters  of  the  day,  as  is  manifest  by  the  responses  of  the 
Due  de  Broglie  and  of  a  M.  de  la  Guiche,  to  whom  he  had 


32  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

sent  a  report  of  the  defeat,  which  unfortunately  has  not  been 
preserved.  Personally,  however,  he  lost  nothing,  and  was 
even  fortunate  in  keeping  his  baggage,  of  which  most  of  the 
French  officers  were  robbed  by  the  light  troops  of  the  allies. 
His  courage  and  conduct  on  this  occasion  were  rewarded  by 
the  order  of  merit,  which  had  been  established  in  1759,  and 
was  bestowed  upon  Protestants  in  lieu  of  that  of  St.  Louis, 
which  only  Catholics  were  allowed  to  wear. 

After  the  retreat  from  Hesse  Cassel,  the  French  head- 
quarters were  again  removed  to  Frankfort,  in  the  walls  or 
the  vicinity  of  which  town  Kalb  was  stationed  to  the  end  of 
the  war.  While  the  preparations  for  the  departure  from 
Germany  were  in  progress,  he  supported  and  advocated  the 
interests  of  a  number  of  the  princely  and  noble  families  of 
the  Wetteraw  and  adjoining  provinces,  who  were  entitled  to 
compensation  for  supplies  furnished  the  French  troops,  or  had 
other  claims  upon  the  French  Government.  Among  others 
the  Princes  of  Solms-Braunfels,  Solms-Hohensolms,  and 
Solms-Lich,  were  indebted  to  his  prompt  action  and  useful 
advice  for  the  collection  of  their  demands  and  the  return  of 
their  advances.  There  is  extant  a  thick  bundle  of  letters,  in 
which  the  gentry  of  the  Wetteraw  return  thanks  to  Kalb,  or 
commit  their  affairs  to  his  keeping;  only  one  of  all  these 
documents,  however,  throws  a  ray  of  light  upon  the  existing 
state  of  distress  and  confusion  in  that  part  of  Germany.  It 
was  written  on  the  18th  of  November,  1762,  by  the  dowager 
Princess  of  Solms-Braunfels,  by  birth  a  princess  of  Birkenfeld, 
a  woman  of  intelligence  and  patriotism.  "  The  news  of  the 
approaching  peace  which  I  read  in  your  favor  of  the  9th 
instant,"  she  says,  "  is  most  welcome  in  this  part  of  Germany. 
We  would  have  been  still  more  fortunate  if  this  joyful  event 


LIFEOFKALB.  33 

could  have  occurred  eight  or  nine  weeks  earlier.  Now  we 
are  all  ruined.  Provisions  are  not  to  be  had,  and  lords  and 
lieges  are  staggering  under  such  a  load  of  debt,  that  fifty 
years  will  be  required  only  to  clear  off  the  worst  of  the 
rubbish.  God  grant  that  peace  may  be  concluded  in  Silesia 
as  speedily  as  here,  so  that  all  Germany  may  at  last  breathe 
freely.  Is  it  not  our  beloved  country  whose  weal  and  woe 
are  in  question  ?  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  see  that  you, 
sir,  take  the  same  interest  in  its  welfare."  ll 

The  negotiations  relating  to  the  liquidation  of  these  claims 
were  protracted  to  the  year  1763.  Without  disrespect  to 
Kalb's  memory,  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  he  did  not  lend  his 
important  services  to  the  parties  interested  without  some 
compensation,  and  that  the  business  part  of  his  functions  in 
this  matter  was  quite  lucrative.  Without  some  such  conjec- 
ture it  would  be  impossible  to  divine  how  a  man  originally 
without  means,  should  be  found  the  next  year  marrying  on  a 
fortune  of  fifty-two  thousand  francs. 

On  the  return  of  the  army  to  France,  Kalb  went  into 
garrison  in  the  then  French  fortress  of  Landau. 
2* 


CHAPTER   III. 

KALB  Our  OF  SERVICE. — CAPTAIN  IN  THE  ANHALT  REGIMENT. — HE  GOES 
TO  PARIS,  BUT  WITHOUT  OBTAINING  A  NEW  COMMISSION. — FUTILE  EF- 
FORTS— KALE'S  BETROTHAL  AND  MARRIAGE. — His  PECUNIARY  CIRCUM- 
STANCES.— HE  RESIGNS  AND  GOES  TO  LIVE  IN  THE  COUNTRY. — A  YEAR 
AFTER  HE  SEEKS  AN  APPOINTMENT  IN  THE  PORTUGUESE  ARMY. — COUNT 
WILLIAM  OF  LIPPE-SCHAUMBURG. — BROGLIE'S  LETTER  OF  INTRODUCTION. 
— VISIT  AT  BijCKEBURG. — THE  PLAN  IS  FRUSTRATED. — SECRET  MISSION 
TO  AMERICA. — ITS  NATURE. — THE  Due  DE  CHOISEUL,  HIS  CHARACTER 
AND  POLICY. — DISTURBANCES  IN  THE  ENGLISH  COLONIES  OF  AMERICA.— 
CHOISEUL  RESOLVES  TO  SEND  KALB  TIIEP.E. — His  PREVIOUS  RELATIONS 
TO  THE  DUKE. — KALB  FIRST  ASSIGNED  TO  THE  COAST  SURVEY. — His 
DESTINATION  ALTERED. — His  INSTRUCTIONS. — His  DEPARTURE  FOR  HOL- 
LAND.— FIRST  REPORT  FROM  THE  HAGUE. — FURTHER  ORDERS. — KALB 
GOES  TO  LONDON,  AND  THENCK  TO  AMERICA. 

A  T  the  return  of  peace,  Kalb,  as  an  officer  of  experience 
•*•*  and  acknowledged  ability,  had  every  claim  to  be 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel;  nevertheless,  one  of  the 
first  measures  adopted  by  the  ministry  in  1763,  was  the  aboli- 
tion of  his  office,  which  had  been  created  only  for  the  duration 
of  the  war.  Under  these  circumstances  it  was  fortunate  for 
our  hero  that  in  1761,  shortly  before  quitting  the  regiment 
Loewendal,  he  had  purchased  a  captaincy  in  the  regiment 
Anhalt.  Notwithstanding  his  superior  rank  as  lieutenant- 
colonel,  and  his  services  as  assistant  quartermaster-general, 
he  had  been  constantly  reported  by  that  regiment  as  in  com- 
mand of  one  of  its  companies  during  the  last  three  years  of 
the  war.  This  precaution,  so  little  consonant  to  our  modern 


LIFEOFKALB.  35 

views  of  military  propriety,  now  stood  him  in  good  stead, 
securing  him  a  safe  though  humble  retreat. 

For  the  present,  then,  Kalb  was  only  a  captain,  with  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel ;  but,  of  course,  he  was  little  dis- 
posed to  rest  content  with  this  subordinate  position.  Very 
justly  reflecting  that  with  a  court  where  all  advancement  de- 
pended upon  the  personal  favor  or  caprice  of  those  in  power, 
personal  solicitation  was  indispensable  to  success,  he  procured 
a  furlough  for  six  months  and  hastened  to  Paris,  determined 
to  secure  a  position  commensurate  with  his  rank  in  one  of  the 
foreign  regiments.  He  applied  to  the  Due  de  Choiseul  and 
the  Prince  Soubise,  put  his  personal  friends  and  late  superiors, 
General  Wurmser,  Saarfeld,  and  Vogue  in  motion,  and  en- 
deavored to  make  interest  with  Dubois,  the  functionary  of  the 
war  department  to  whom  the  nomination  of  officers  was 
intrusted.  He  received  on  all  hands  the  most  unqualified 
approbation  of  his  services  and  the  fairest  promises  for  the 
future ;  but  the  professions  were  not  made  good,  and  the 
summer  passed  away  without  any  change  in  Kalb's  condition. 
About  this  time  a  vacant  lieutenant-colonelcy  for  which  he 
made  application,  was  bestowed  upon  an  officer  sustaining 
more  intimate  relations  to  the  minister.  There  were  rumors 
of  a  plan  to  appoint  eight  additional  staff  officers  for  each  of 
the  three  armies  of  the  kingdom,  four  of  each  of  the  eight  to 
be  assistant  quartermasters-general.  Kalb  solicited  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Marquis  de  Castries,  who  pledged  him  his 
support  for  one  of  these  positions,  and  made  every  effort  in 
his  behalf;  but  the  plan  was  never  carried  out,  and  our  hero 
had  garnered  up  an  additional  disappointment. 

Weary  of  hope  deferred  and  thoroughly  tired  of  hia 
fruitless  stay  at  Paris,  although  his  furlough  lasted  till  Octo- 


36  LIFEOFKA.LB. 

ber,  ho  was  on  the  point  of  returning  to  the  province  and 
assuming  the  command  of  his  company,  when  an  unexpect- 
ed turn  in  his  private  affairs  put  an  end,  for  the  time,  to  his 
ambitious  schemes.  This  sudden  event  was  his  betrothal, 
shortly  followed  by  his  marriage  with  Anna  Elizabeth 
Emilie  van  Robais.19 

Among  Kalb's  numerous  acquaintances  dating  from  his 
then  stay  at  the  capital,  was  that  of  M.  Peter  van  Robais, 
formerly  a  cloth  manufacturer  at  Abbeville,  but  who  had  re- 
tired from  business  for  several  years.  He  was  the  grandson 
of  a  Hollander  whom  Colbert  had  induced  to  settle  in 
France,  and  whose  deserts  in  improving  the  cloth  manufac- 
ture of  France  had  been  rewarded  by  Louis  XV.  with  a 
patent  of  nobility.  The  business  established  by  him  rapidly 
became  one  of  the  most  extensive  in  the  country,  and  not 
only  laid  the  foundation  of  a  large  patrimony,  but  proved  a 
source  of  abundant  income  to  his  descendants.  Peter  van 
Robais,  since  making  over  the  factory  to  his  son-in-law,  lived 
with  his  wife  and  the  above-named  younger  daughter  in 
plain,  but  comfortable  retirement  at  Courbevoye,  near  Paris. 
It  was  probably  the  community  of  religious  persuasion — 
both  being  Protestants — which  first  brought  him  in  contact 
with  Kalb.  The  latter  soon  became  a  welcome  frequenter  of 
his  house,  and  still  more  quickly  won  the  heart  of  the  young, 
lady,  who  is  represented  as  accomplished,  sprightly,  and 
beautiful,  and  who  plighted  him  her  troth  in  the  winter  of 
1763  to  1764.  The  wedding  took  place  on  the  icfth  of  April, 
1764,  the  marriage  ceremony  being  performed  in  the  Protes- 
tant chapel  of  the  Dutch  legation.  This  union  proved  to  be 
one  of  the  happiest  ever  known.  In  marked  contrast  to  the 
dissolute  manners  of  the  time,  Kalb  lived  exclusively  for  his 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  37 

family,  while  his  wife,  in  her  turn,  was  no  less  devotedly 
attached  to  her  husband  than  solicitous  of  the  welfare  of  her 
children.  The  warmth  of  this  attachment  remained  un- 
altered to  the  hour  of  Kalb's  death,  and  his  last  letters  to 
his  wife  breathe  the  same  fervor  which  had  inspired  the  first 
and  all  the  others.  Even  the  pecuniary  circumstances  of  the 
new  family  were,  from  the  first,  all  that  could  be  desired. 
While  Kalb  himself  could  only  contribute  his  pension  and 
52,000  francs,  his  bride,  in  addition  to  a  rich  trousseau,  re- 
ceived 135,375  francs;  and  in  1767,  after  the  decease  of  her 
parents  and  grandparents,  she  inherited  the  homestead  at 
Courbevoye  and  205,406  francs,  a  fortune  still  further  in- 
creased in  1776,  when  the  death  of  some  collateral  relatives 
brought  her  other  real  estate  and  84,000  francs  in  money  ;  so 
that  the  entire  property  of  husband  and  wife  must  have 
amounted  to  about  half  a  million  of  francs,  or  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  a  sum  which,  for  those  times,  was  very 
considerable.  I  have  been  particular  in  extracting  these 
estimates  from  the  official  calculations  and  distributions  be- 
fore me,  because  they  constitute  the  best  refutation  to  the 
surmises  occasionally  thrown  out  in  the  United  States,  that 
Kalb  took  service  under  a  foreign  flag  for  the  benefit  of  his 
exchequer. 

Tinder  the  circumstances  it  was  but  natural  for  Kalb  to 
give  up  his  company  and  to  remain  at  or  near  Paris  with  his 
young  wife  in  the  neighborhood  of  her  parents.  He  aban- 
doned his  former  projects,  and  was  glad  to  retire  in  1764 
upon  his  pension  as  lieutenant-colonel. 

This  voluntary  repose,  however,  was  destined  to  be  of 
short  duration.  A  year  had  not  elapsed  since  his  marriage 
when  Kalb,  tired  of  inaction,  made  another  vigorous  effort 


38  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

to  enter  into  service.  The  celebrated  Count  William  of 
Schaumburg-Lippe,  reared  in  the  martial  school  of  Frederick 
the  Great  and  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  who.  during  the  clos- 
ing years  of  the  Seven  Years'  War  had  served  in  Portugal, 
and  had  successfully  repulsed  the  invasion  of  the  Spaniards, 
had  returned  to  Germany  in  1764,  charged,  among  other 
tilings,  with  raising  three  German  regiments  for  the  Portu- 
guese service,  to  prepare  for  the  apprehended  return  of  hos- 
tilities. Kalb  at  once  resolved  to  offer  the  Portuguese  field- 
marshal  his  services  as  Brigadier,  in  the  hope  of  returning, 
after  a  few  successful  campaigns,  to  the  French  army  as  a 
general.  His  old  patron,  the  Due  de  Broglie,  a  personal  ac- 
quaintance of  Count  William,  approved  of  Kalb's  design, 
and  not  only  gave  him  a  warm  letter  of  recommendation 
himself,  but  procured  him  another  from  the  English  general, 
Robert  Clerke,"  who  was  on  terms  of  intimate  friendship 
with  Count  Lippe. 

"  Lieutenant-colonel  de  Kalb,"  says  Broglie,  "  is  one  of 
the  best  and  most  efficient  officers  of  my  acquaintance,  and 
as  expert  in  the  details  of  the  service  as  versed  in  the 
science  of  war.  In  the  late  war  I  have  found  him  extremely 
useful  and  reliable,  and  can  recommend  him  unqualifiedly  as 
an  excellent  general."  "M.  de  Kalb,"  wrote  the  duke's 
brother,  the  Count  de  Broglie,  at  the  same  time,  "  went, 
through  the  whole  of  the  late  war  with  me  as  assistant 
quartermaster-general,  and  is  deserving  of  your  prelection 
in  the  highest  degree.  To  what  my  brother  has  written  in 
reference  to  him  I  can  only  add  that  de  Kalb  is  an  officer  no 
less  intelligent  and  well-informed  than  brave  and  indefatiga- 
ble. I  doubt  whether  you  could  find  a  more  fitting  man  for 
the  organization  and  instruction  of  your  troops.  It  is  neither 


LIFEOFKALB.  39 

the  want  of  means  nor  the  desire  of  riches  that  prompts  Lieu 
tenant-colonel  de  Kalb  to  seek  service  abroad.  His  circum- 
stances are  very  good,  but  he  craves  a  congenial  occupation, 
his  present  inactivity  having  become  insupportable  to  him." 

Armed  with  these  weighty  recommendations,  Kalb  left 
for  Buckeburg  in  the  beginning  of  March,  1765,  in  company 
of  a  M.  de  Trevisany,  and  presented  himself  to  Count 
William  on  the  16th  day  of  the  same  month.  His  reception 
was  most  cordial ;  the  count  did  his  utmost  to  induce  the 
Portuguese  Government  to  make  the  appointment,  but  the 
negotiations,  after  being  protracted  for  two  years,  fell  to  the 
ground,  because  the  pending  difficulties  were  peaceably  ad- 
justed, contrary  to  expectation,  and  the  idea  of  enlisting 
joreign  troops  renounced.  Alter  his  return  in  1766,  Kalb 
even  conceived  the  design  of  going  to  Lisbon  himself  to 
speed  his  suit,  but  was  strongly  dissuaded  by  Count  Lippe, 
and  desisted.  When  the  latter  repaired  to  Lisbon  by  way 
of  Paris  in  1767,  Kalb  had  already  left  France  for  the  Hague 
on  a  secret  mission  intrusted  to  him  by  the  Due  de  Choiseul. 

The  task  thus  imposed  upon  our  hero  introduced  him  to 
the  labyrinth  of  European  politics,  and  turned  his  fortunes 
into  a  direction  in  which  they  were  destined  to  continue 
through  life.  To  enable  us  to  follow  him  intelligently  it  will 
be  necessary  to  enter  into,  a  somewhat  detailed  examination 
of  the  plans  of  the  French  minister,  with  particular  reference 
to  his  attitude  toward  the  English  Government. 

The  Due  de  Choiseul  (1719  to  1785)  having  distinguished 
himself  as  French  Ambassador  at  Rome  and  at  Vienna,  be- 
tween 1753  and  1758,  had  assumed  the  reins  of  government 
toward  the  close  of  the  latter  year.  Although  mainly  indebt- 
ed for  his  elevation  to  the  favor  of  Madame  de  Pompadour,  he 


40  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

was  yet  one  of  the  greatest  if  not  the  greatest  French  states 
man  since  the  days  of  Richelieu.  The  latter  achieved  his 
diplomatic  and  political  triumphs  at  the  rising  tide  of  the  na- 
tional power,  and  while  the  monarchy  was  scaling  the  pinnacle 
of  European  supremacy,  while  the  administration  of  the  latter, 
from  1758  to  1770,  coincides  with  the  national  decay  and  the 
waning  authority  of  the  sovereign ;  but  this  very  palpable 
difference  must  not  prevent  us  from  "doing  justice  to  the  great 
qualities  and  eminent  merits  of  either.  Choiseul  directed 
against  England  the  same  untiring  zeal,  the  same  iron  forti- 
tude, and  the  same  comprehensive  energy  which  Richelieu  had 
exercised  to  break  the  power  of  Austria.  If  success  did  not 
always  reward  his  efforts,  the  fault  was  not  so  much  in  the 
intrepid  statesman  as  in  the  altered  state  of  political  affairs. 
Almost  in  the  same  year  in  which  Choiseul  assumed  the  direc- 
tion of  the  French  Government,  the  triumph  of  British 
supremacy  on  land  and  sea  was  achieved  on  the  battle-fields 
of  Germany  and  on  the  heights  of  Quebec.  The  constant  aim 
of  Pitt  and  of  those  who  had  succeeded  him  in  office,  to  hum- 
ble the  Bourbons  at  any  cost,  and  to  reduce  them  to  the 
former  limits  of  their  power,  was  at  last  accomplished.  At 
the  peace  of  Paris  (1763),  France  lost  all  her  possessions  on 
the  American  continent,  retaining  only  her  Newfoundland 
fishery  and  two  little  islands,  which  were  not  to  be  garrisoned 
with  more  than  fifty  men ;  she  was  driven  from  her  conquests 
on  the  Ganges  and  her  advantageous  positions  on  the  Senegal, 
and  was  even  compelled  to  look  on  while  England  snatched 
the  whole  of  Florida  from  the  grasp  of  the  Spaniards  to  pun- 
ish them  for  their  French  alliance.  The  cabinet  of  Versailles 
had  lost  credit  at  home  and  abroad  ;  the  army,  by  a  succession 
of  defeats,  had  forfeited  its  ancient  fame.  The  navy  and  the 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  41 

foreign  commerce  of  the  country  had  almost  ceased  to  exist. 
Even  the  coasting  trade  was  languishing;  the  few  remaining 
craft  huddled  in  the  ports,  and  almost  dreaded  to  navigate 
the  Mediterranean.  Against  an  enemy  thus  powerful  and  thus 
implacable,  who  knew  neither  fear  nor  favor,  who  welcomed 
and  fostered  as  England's  gain  every  incident  and  every  bar- 
gain fraught  with  injury  to  France — against  such  a  foe  but  a 
single  course  was  open  to  a  French  minister  who  understood 
his  position  :  it  was,  to  direct  all  the  arms  and  all  the  policy, 
all  the  spirit  and  enterprise  of  his  people  against  the  interests 
of  England.  From  the  first  day  of  his  official  life  Choiseul 
acted  up  to  his  appreciation  of  this  necessity.  As  ambassador 
he  had  essentially  advanced  the  schemes  of  the  Abbe  Bernis 
for  a  French  alliance  with  Austria  ;  on  assuming  the  ministry 
of  foreign  affairs,  it  was  one  of  his  first  acts  to  prepare 
and  subsequently  (in  July,  1761)  to  conclude  the  so-called 
Bourbon  family  compact,  a  defensive  and  offensive  alliance  of 
France  with  Spain,  Naples,  and  Parma,  the  whole  drift  of 
which  was  hostile  to  England.  Choiseul's  next  object  was 
the  restoration  of  the  French  navy,  and  the  resumption  of  the 
struggle  for  the  mastery  of  the  seas.  Ere  many  years  had 
elapsed,  a  splendid  navy  of  sixty-four  line  of  battle-ships  and 
thirty-six  frigates,  commanded  by  distinguished  leaders  such 
as  Bougainville,  and  manned  with  sturdy  tars  and  an  excellent 
corps  of  marines,  was  awaiting  the  return  of  the  war  which, 
this  time,  promised  to  break  out  in  America. 

In  the  English  colonies  of  this  continent,  the  attempts  of 
the  mother  country  to  exercise  the  power  of  taxation  over 
them  had  produced  great  discontent  and  indignation.  The 
enormous  debt  of  the  United  Kingdom,  greatly  increased  in 
the  course  of  the  Seven  Years'  War,  seemed  to  make  it  neces- 


42  LIFE    OF    K  ALB. 

sary,  as  even  Pitt  had  proposed  to  raise  contributions  from  the 
colonies.  Not  long  after  the  conclusion  of  peace,  on  the  22d 
of  March  1765,  the  Grenville  ministry  procured  the  passage 
of  the  Stamp  Act,  which  was  intended  to  go  into  force  on  the 
1st  of  November  of  the  same  year,  but  which  was  practically 
annulled  by  the  obstinate  resistance  of  the  colonists,  and  was 
formally  repealed  on  the  28th  of  March,  1768.  It  was  on  this 
occasion  that  the  first  symptoms  of  colonial  insubordination 
attracted  attention  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  magnified 
by  the  distance,  and  exaggerated  by  the  voice  of  rumor.  No 
one  welcomed  them  more  cordially  than  Choiseul.  Hereto- 
fore he  had  endeavored  to  make  up  for  the  ground  lost  in 
America  and  the  East  Indies  by  stimulating  the  prosperity  of 
the  French  Antilles,  and  extending  the  influence  of  France  in 
the  Mediterranean.  In  consequence  of  his  measures  St. 
Domingo,  Guadaloupe,  and  Martinique  began  to  develop  their 
immense  resources,  and  to  attain  an  incalculable  importance 
to  the  mother  country.  Ever  since  1763,  his  emissaries, 
among  whom  was  Dumouriez,  who  became  so  notorious  in 
the  French  revolution,  had  labored  to  extend  the  sceptre 
of  France  over  the  island  of  Corsica,  which,  like  Canada,  pro- 
duced the  most  excellent  ship  timber,  and  which  promised  to 
furnish  a  safe  harbor  and  a  convenient  entrepot  for  the  Le- 
vantine trade.  In  the  ports  of  the  other  African  States  his. 
agents  were  no  less  indefatigable  in  enlarging  the  sphere  of 
his  influence.  The  importance  of  these  operations  in  the  Le- 
vante  was  still  further  enchanced  by  the  circumstance  that  the 
manufactories  of  Languedoc  had  engaged  largely  in  the  pro- 
duction of  "  Londres,"  a  fabric  of  the  sale  of  which  England  had 
hitherto  enjoyed  a  monopoly  in  these  regions.  The  increased 
number  of  counting-houses  in  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  and  Palestine, 


LIFEOFKALB.  43 

of  course  raised  the  standing  of  the  French  consulates.  At 
the  same  time  Choiseul  was  intent  upon  the  plan,  resumed,  a 
generation  later,  by  Napoleon,  of  bringing  Egypt  under 
French  suzerainty,  and  making  it  the  base  of  operations  for 
expeditions  in  the  Mediterranean  and  Indian  Seas,  by  which  it 
was  intended  to  expel  the  English  from  the  coast  of  Coro- 
mandel  and  the  shores  of  the  Ganges,  and  to  lend  a  vigorous 
support  to  the  operations  of  Hyder  All.14  French  officers  dis- 
ciplined the  Sultan's  troops,  and  improved  the  organization 
of  the  Turkish  army;  French  emissaries  fomented  hostilities 
against  England  in  the  East  Indies ;  nor  were  the  farthest 
East  and  the  remote  West  more  closely  watched,  than  the 
courts  and  embassies  of  Europe.  In  short,  there  was  not  a 
single  point  where  the  wary  and  alert  minister  had  Hot  his 
agents,  spies,  and  instruments  for  the  aggrandizement  of 
France  and  the  injury  of  England. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  perplexities  in  which  Great 
Britain  was  involved  by  the  dispute  with  her  American 
colonies,  interested  Choiseul  in  the  highest  degree.15  Here 
was  the  vulnerable  point  where  he  could  hope  to  wound  the 
hated  adversary,  here  was  a  rest  for  the  lever  with  which 
to  unseat  him,  here  was  the  long-desired  opportunity  of 
restoring  France  to  her  former  influence  and  her  position  of 
arbiter  in  the  councils  of  Europe.  The  earliest  rumors  of 
the  resistance  of  the  Americans  to  the  efforts  of  the  mother 
country  to  raise  revenue  from  them,  had  no  sooner  pene- 
trated to  the  French  capital  (1764),  than  Choiseul  sent  an 
agent,  in  the  person  of  M.  de  Pontleroy,  on  a  tour  of  observa- 
tion, from  which  the  latter  returned  in  the  year  1766,  bring- 
ing the  most  favorable  reports  of  what  he  had  heard  and 
seen.1* 


44  LIFEOFKALB. 

He  described  the  land  as  rich  in  all  the  productions  of 
the  soil,  especially  grain  and  iron;  he  enlarged  upon  iti 
inexhaustible  stock  of  timber  and  its  spacious  harbors ;  he 
represented  the  inhabitants  as  enterprising,  as  rapidly  im- 
proving in  wealth  and  numbers,  and  as  thoroughly  conscious 
of  their  strength.  The  English  troops  were  found  to  be 
scattered  over  the  country  in  small  detachments,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  accomplish  very  little.  It  was  suggested  that  even 
England  could  not  but  be  in  the  imminence  of  a  revolution, 
•which,  indeed,  she  had  herself  accelerated  in  annexing 
Canada,  and  thus  relieving  her  colonies  of  the  fear  of  a 
French  invasion. 

This  flattering  report  was  corroborated  by  the  proud 
answer  of  the  Assembly  of  Massachusetts  to  the  royal 
governor,  by  the  bold  demands  of  the  colonies,  by  the  revolu- 
tionary speeches  of  Patrick  Henry,  by  the  circumspect  but 
decided  attitude  of  James  Otis,  and  by  the  opposition  of  the 
American  people  to  the  measures  of  the  British  ministry. 
In  all  this  there  was  reason  enough  to  suppose  that  the  day 
of  reckoning,  and  the  hour  of  England's  humiliation,  had  at 
last  arrived. 

The  further  progress  of  events  in  America,  though  far 
from  rapid,  was  steadily  adverse  to  the  interests  of  the 
mother  country.  The  colonies  disputed  the  right  of  Parlia- 
ment to  lay  taxes,  and  declared,  as  early  as  1766,  that  the 
will  of  the  people  is  the  final  and  only  source  of  supreme 
power.  It  was  especially  the  resistance  of  Massachusetts 
and  New  York  which  exasperated  the  English  cabinet,  and 
became  the  subject  of  a  heated  debate  in  the  House  of  Lords 
toward  the  end  of  March  and  the  beginning  of  April,  1767. 
"  Let  us  deliberate  no  longer,"  cried  Charles  Townsend ; 


LIFEOPKALB.  45 

"  let  us  act  with  vigor,  now,  while  we  can  call  the  colonies 
ours.  If  you  do  not,  they  will  very  soon  be  lost  for  ever." 

The  acrimonious  tone  of  the  discussion,  the  overwrought 
coloring  of  the  opposition  offered  to  the  crown  by  the  colonies, 
and  the  dread,  partly  real  and  partly  affected,  of  the  break- 
ing out  of  actual  hostilities,  professed  by  the  Parliament  and 
the  ministers,  combined  to  mislead  Choiseul  into  the  belief 
that  the  great  American  insurrection  was  at  hand.  And  yet 
the  tax  on  tea  was  not  voted  before  the  15th  of  May,  1767- 
If  he  anticipated  the  fulfilment  of  his  wishes  by  eight  years, 
the  error  was  highly  pardonable  in  one  unacquainted  with 
the  tenacity  of  Anglo-American  forbearance,  and  with  the 
centrifugal  tendencies  of  these  new  settlements,  unsuited  in 
every  respect  to  revolutionary  action.  But  from  this  time 
Choiseul  sought  in  every  quarter  accurate  accounts  of  the 
progress  of  opinion  in  America,  alike  in  the  writings  of 
Franklin,  the  reports  current  among  the  best-informed 
merchants,  and  even  in  New  England  sermons,  from  which 
curious  extracts  are  to  this  day  preserved  among  the  State 
Papers  of  France.  His  judgment  on  events,  though  biassed 
by  national  hatred,  was  more  impartial  and  clear  than  that 
of  any  British  minister  who  succeeded  Shelburne. 

In  order  to  sift  all  vague  and  extravagant  rumors,  and 
ascertain  the  real  state  of  the  case,  Choiseul  resolved  once 
more  to  send  an  agent  to  America,  and  selected  for  that 
purpose  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  who,  after  a  retirement 
of  several  years,  had  been  reintroduced  to  the  minister,  some 
months  before,  by  the  intervention  of  the  Prince  Soubise. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  1766,  in  the  confident  expectation 
of  a  rupture  with  England,  Choiseul  had  increased  the 
complement  of  the  regiments,  and  placed  the  northwestern 


46  LIFEOFKALB. 

coast  in  a  state  of  defence.  These  measures  called  for  the 
appointment  of  additional  engineers  and  staff  officers,  and 
the  formation  of  a  new  staff  for  the  northern  department. 
Kalb  was  designed  for  one  of  these  positions,  and  was 
charged,  in  the  first  instance,  with  the  survey  of  the  frontiers, 
under  General  Bourcet.  "  You  are  hereby  informed,"  wrote 
Choiseul  to  Kalb  from  Versailles,  the  20th  of  April,  1767, 
"  that  his  Majesty  has  included  you  among  the  list  of  officers 
who  are  to  be  employed  this  year  in  the  survey  of  the 
country.  You  will  visit  the  coast  from  Dunkirk  to  Calais. 
and  take  up  your  headquarters  in  the  first-named  of  these 
towns.  You  will  there  receive,  from  the  paymaster  of  the 
forces,  five  hundred  francs  for  the  duration  of  your  services. 
I  rely  upon  receiving  accurate  reports  of  the  execution  of 
your  mission." 

Kalb  repaired  to  Versailles  on  the  22d  of  April,  to  receive 
the  minister's  final  instructions.  He  was  not  a  little  aston- 
ished to  be  told  by  M.  Dubois,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  minis- 
try of  war,  that  his  destination  had  been  altered  in  the 
mean  time,  and  that  the  duke's  private  secretary,  M.  Appony, 
was  directed  to  draw  up  special  instructions  for  a  secret 
mission  to  America,  on  which  Kalb  was  to  be  appointed. 
Dubois  therefore  advised  him  to  see  Appony  before  waiting 
on  the  minister.  The  secretary  communicated  to  Kalb  the 
instructions  he  had  written  at  Choiseul's  dictation, which  were 
soon  after  handed  him  by  Dubois.  They  read  as  follows  : 

"  1.  M.  de  Kalb  will  repair  to  Amsterdam,  and  there  direct 
his  particular  attention  to  the  rumors  in  circulation  about  the 
English  colonies.  Should  they  appear  to  be  well  founded, 
he  will  immediately  make  preparations  for  a  journey  to 
America. 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  47 

"  2.  On  his  arrival,  he  will  inquire  into  the  intentions  of 
the  inhabitants,  and  endeavor  to  ascertain  whether  they  are 
in  need  of  good  engineers  and  artillery  officers,  or  other  in- 
dividuals, and  whether  they  should  be  supplied  with  them. 

"  3.  He  will  inform  himself  of  their  facilities  for  procuring 
supplies,  and  will  find  out  what  quantities  of  munitions  of 
war  and  provisions  they  are  able  to  procure. 

"  4.  He  will  acquaint  himself  with  the  greater  or  lesser 
strength  of  their  purpose  to  withdraw  from  the  English 
Government. 

"  5.  He  will  examine  their  resources  in  troops,  fortified 
places,  and  forts,  and  will  seek  to  discover  their  plan  of  re- 
volt, and  the  leaders  who  are  expected  to  direct  and  con- 
trol it. 

"  6.  Great  reliance  is  placed  in  the  intelligence  and  address 
of  M.  de  Kalb  in  the  pursuit  of  a  mission  requiring  an  un- 
common degree  of  tact  and  shrewdness,  and  he  is  expected 
to  report  progress  as  often  as  possible." 

Kalb  at  first  showed  very  little  inclination  to  accept  this 
delicate  commission.  He  started  various  objections,  and 
dwelt  particularly  on  the  numberless  difficulties  growing 
out  of  his  total  want  of  preparation  for  such  a  journey. 
Without  combating  these  arguments,  Dubois  referred  him 
to  the  Due  de  Choiseul. 

"  Do  not  decline  the  mission  with  which  I  have  intrusted 
you,"  said  the  latter.  "  I  know  that  it  is  difficult,  and  re- 
quires great  sagacity.  But  I  have  fixed  my  choice  upon  you 
after  much  deliberation,  and  know  that  you  will  see  no  rea- 
son to  regret  it.  Ask  of  me  the  means  which  you  think  ne- 
cessary for  its  execution  ;  I  will  furnish  you  with  them  all." 

Kalb  hesitated  no  longer,  the  minister  having  given  him 


48  LIFE    OF     KALB. 

time  to  arrange  his  private  affairs,  and  allowed  him  to  post- 
pone his  departure  to  the  end  of  May.  On  the  2d  of  that 
month  he  was  already  furnished  by  Choiseul  with  his  pass- 
ports, to  Holland  in  the  first  instance,  with  twelve  hundred 
francs  for  his  travelling  expenses,  and  with  letters  of  intro- 
duction to  the  French  ambassadors  at  the  Hague  and  at 
Brussels,  and  was  directed  to  forward  all  despatches  through 
their  hands,  and  to  enclose  secret  communications  to  the 
duke  separately  sealed,  in  his  official  reports.  He  left  for 
Holland  in  the  beginning  of  June,  and  dated  his  first  report  to 
Choiseul  from  the  Hague,  the  15th  of  July,  1767,  as  follows: 
"To  inform  myself  of  all  the  occurrences  in  the  American 
colonies,  I  have  now  visited  all  the  seaports  of  Holland 
without  being  able  to  come  to  any  definite  conclusion  as  to 
the  state  of  affairs  in  that  quarter.  The  English  give  out 
that  hostilities  are  entirely  at  an  end,  in  consequence  of  the 
repeal  of  the  stamp  act  and  the  other  obnoxious  measures ; 
but  this  may  be  said  for  effect,  and  to  conceal  the  actual 
condition  of  things.  Two  or  three  days  ago  I  conversed 
with  a  German  who  has  been  settled  in  Pennsylvania  these 
fifteen  years,  and  who  is  now  recruiting  fresh  colonists.  By 
his  account,  agitation  is  so  far  from  being  allayed  that  but  a 
very  trifling  provocation  would  suffice  to  drive  the  malcon* 
tents  into  open  revolt.  The  provincial  assembly,  he  says, 
have  resolved  to  maintain  their  privileges  at  any  cost ;  and 
twenty  thousand  English  troops,  widely  scattered  over  the 
country,  could  hardly  cope  with  the  forces  at  the  disposal  of 
the  colonists,  which  number  four  hundred  thousand  militia, 
and  could  easily  be  increased.  The  Germans  of  this  and  the 
neighboring  provinces  alone — continues  my  informant — inde- 
pendently of  the  numerous  Irishmen  living  there,  can  raise 


LIFEOFKALB.  49 

sixty  thousand  men,  nor  is  there  any  lack  of  means  for  the 
defence  of  the  liberties  of  the  country.  As  to  other  resour- 
ces for  the  successful  conduct  of  the  war,  this  man  could 
give  me  no  information.  Indeed,  I  am  only  repeating  his 
assertions,  without  being  convinced  of  their  truth. 

"  I  therefore  await  your  commands,  Monseigneur,  to  be- 
take myself  to  Philadelphia  or  some  other  point  in  the  colo- 
nies, and  report  to  you  in  reference  to  all  the  heads  specified 
in  my  letter  of  instructions.  It  should  be  observed  that  the 
English  colonies,  or  rather  the  mercantile  companies  who 
have  large  interests  there,  continue  to  solicit  colonists  in 
Germany,  in  public  and  in  secret,  as  before.  I  have  seen 
twelve  hundred  of  these  emigrants  at  Rotterdam,  travelling 
from  Cologne  by  way  of  Maestricht  and  Herzogenba^ch,  as 
they  were  cut  off  from  the  Rhine,  because  the  King  of  Prus- 
sia has  forbidden  them  to  pass  through  his  dominions.  These 
people  have  been  shipped  in  four  vessels,  two  of  which  have 
set  sail,  while  the  remainder  are  only  waiting  for  luggage." 

Soon  after  the  despatch  of  this  letter  news  arrived  from 
America  which  announced  a  more  peaceful  state  of  feeling 
as  having  resulted  from  the  concessions  made  by  Great 
Britain,  and  which  pointed  to  the  probability  of  a  truce  be- 
tween the  mother  country  and  her  colonies.  Kalb  there- 
fore regarded  a  longer  sojourn  in  Holland  as  super- 
fluous, and  wrote  on  the  llth  of  August  for  further  instruc- 
tions. 

"  As  it  is  possible,  and  even  probable,"  answered  Choiseul, 
from  Compiegne,  the  19th  of  August,  "that  this  quiet  will 
not  be  of  long  duration,  it  is  the  will  of  His  Majesty  that  you 
should  make  immediate  preparations  for  a  speedy  tour  to 
America,  in  order  to  satisfy  yourself  by  personal  inspection 


50  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

as  to  the  condition  of  the  country,  its  harbors,  ships,  land 
forces,  resources,  weapons,  munitions  of  war,  and  provisions — 
in  short,  as  to  the  means  at  our  command  if  disposed,  in  case 
of  a  war  with  England,  to  make  a  diversion  in  that  direction. 
You  will  adopt  the  greatest  precautions  in  sending  me  your 
report,  and  will,  immediately  upon  your  arrival,  inforrn  me 
where  to  direct  such  letters  as  I  shall  have  occasion  to  write 
you." 

In  obedience  to  this  order  Kalb  quitted  the  Hague  for 
London  about  the  close  of  September,  1767,  after  having 
spent  the  greater  part  of  the  month  in  writing  out  for  Choiseul 
a  report  in  reference  to  such  subjects  of  France  as  the  Russian 
Government  had  induced  to  settle  in  its  territories.  On  the 
1st  of  October  he  writes  from  London,  "  I  arrived  here  after 
a  short,  though  stormy  passage.  The  packet  boat  from  Fal- 
mouth  to  New  York  does  not  leave,  as  I  was  told  in  Holland, 
on  the  first,  but  on  the  second  Saturday  of  every  month ;  so 
that  I  could  not  go  by  that  line  before  the  10th  of  October. 
I  prefer,  therefore,  to  take  the  merchantman  Hercules,  Captain 
Hommet,  which  sets  sail  from  Gravesend  to-morrow  for  Phila- 
delphia. I  shall  report  as  soon  as  I  can  do  so  with  any  secu- 
rity. Be  so  good,  Mo n seigneur,  as  to  send  your  commands 
and  answers  in  the  same  (my)  cypher  to  Madame  de  Kalb ; 
she  will  forward  them  to  me  in  pursuance  of  directions 
already  given,  and  still  to  be  given.  It  is  hoped  that  these 
letters  will  be  less  likely  to  arouse  the  suspicion  and  curiosity 
of  the  various  correspondents  and  agents,  of  whose  services 
I  must  necessarily  avail  myself.  In  conclusion,  Monseigneur, 
I  would  recall  to  your  mind  the  promises  kindly  made  me  on 
my  departure  from  France,  beseeching  you  to  be  a  father  and 
protector  to  my  wife  and.  children  if  it  should  be  written  in 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  51 

the  book  of  fate  that  the  journey  upon  which  I  am  setting  out 
should  lead  directly  to  ray  final  resting-place." 

Kalb  went  on  board  of  the  Hercules  on  the  4th  of  Octo- 
ber. The  voyage  to  Philadelphia — long,  perilous,  and  fraught 
with  hardships  beyond  all  precedent  even  for  those  times — 
lasted  until  the  12tL  of  January,  1768. 


CHAPTEE    IT. 

KALB  IN  AMERICA. — His  FIEBT  REPORT  FROM  PHILADELPHIA. — PUBLIC  SES« 
TIMENT. — ENERGY  OF  BOSTON. — MODERATION  OF  PHILADELPHIA. — CON- 
DUCT OF  THE  TROOPS  AND  THEIR  GENERAL. THE  COLONIES  TOO  WEAK  TO 

REPEL  FORCE  BY  FORCE. — THEY  DESIRE  so  FOREIGN  ALLIANCE. — THEIR 
NATURAL  ADVANTAGES  AT  THE  OPENING  OF  HOSTILITIES. — KALE'S  SECOND 
REPORT  FROM  PHILADELPHIA,  DATED  THE  20iH  OF  JANUARY. — THE  DIS- 
TURBANCES INCREASE. — DISTRUST  AND  DISCONTENT  OF  THK  PEOPLE. — 
COMMERCIAL  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  COLONIES  FOR  THE  MOTHER  COUNTRY. — 
KALB  GOES  TO  NEW  YORK. — Is  SHIPWRECKKD  IN  NEW  YORK  BAY. — HAR- 
ROWING PARTICULARS  OF  THE  ACCIDENT. — KALE'S  THIRD  REPORT  FROM 
NEW  YORK,  FEBRUARY  25,  1768. — THE  OPPOSITION  OF  THE  COLONIES  ON 
THE  INCREASE. — THE  QUESTION  OF  TAXATION. — BAD  POLICY  OF  THE  ENG- 
LISH GOVERNMENT. — INDEPENDENT  SPIRIT  OF  THE  AMERICAN  PEOPLE.— 
THEIR  NATIONAL  EXISTENCE  MUST  BE  THE  WORK  OF  TIME. — STRENGTH  OF 
THE  ENGLISH  GARRISONS. — KALE'S  FOURTH  REPORT  FROM  BOSTON,  MARCH 
2,  1768. — GREATER  ACRIMONY  IN  NEW  ENGLAND. — MASSACHUSETTS  TAKES 
THE  LEAD  IN  THK  RESISTANCE  TO  ENGLISH  MEASURES. — THE  MOTHER 
COUNTRY  WILL  GIVE  WAY. — FLOURISHING  CONDITION  OF  THE  COMMERCE 
AND  INTERNAL  INDUSTRY  OF  NEW  ENGLAND. — KALB  GOES  TO  HALIFAX. — 
ITS  HARBOR. — THE  INTENDED  JOURNEY  ACROSS  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN  GIVEN 
UP  ON  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  THAW. — KALE'S  OPINION  OF  THE  CANADIANS. — 
THKY  ARE  NO  LONGER  FRENCH  IN  THEIR  WAY  OF  THINKING. — KALB  RE* 
TURNS  TO  EUROPE  FROM  NEW  YORK,  END  OF  APRIL,  1768. — ARRIVES  AT 
DOVER  ON  THE  IST  OF  JUNE,  AND  AT  PARIS  ON  THE  12TH. — His  AUDIENCE 
WITH  CHOISKUL  is  DELAYED. — KALE'S  ESTIMATE  OF  THE  ENGLISH  RE- 
SOURCES is  CONSIDERED  EXTRAVAGANT  BY  THE  MINISTKR. — KALB  SUBMITS 
WEEKLY  TRANSLATIONS  OF  His  LETTERS  AND  NEWSPAPERS  FROM  AMER- 
ICA.— His  MEMORIAL  OF  AUGUST  6,  1768. — SUMMARY  OF  KALE'S  OPIN- 
IONS.— THEY  CORRESPOND  WITH  THOSE  OF  THK  MOST  ABLE  AND  BEST  IN- 
FORMED OF  HIS  CONTEMPORARIES. — TOWARD  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  YEAR  1768 
CHOISEUL'S  INTEREST  IN  KALB  AND  HIS  REPORTS  ON  AMERICA  DIMIN- 
ISHES.— CORSICA  ABSORBS  HIS  ATTENTION. — CHOISEUL'S  PLANS  IN  REGARD 
TO  SPAIN. — FINDS  FAULT  WITH  KALB'S  RETURN  AS  PREMATURE. — ASSIGNS 


LIFEOFKALB.  53 

HIM  A  REWARD  AKD  PROMISES  HIM  A  BRIGADIER'S  COMMISSION.— CHOI- 
SEUL'S  FALL. — KALB'S  DESERTS  UNDER  His  DIRECTION. — POLITICAL  SITUA- 
TION IN  GENERAL. — VERGENNES  SUBSEQUENTLY  REVIVES  THE  DESIGNS  OF 
CHOISEUL. 


^V  \  THEN  Kalb  landed  in  America,  the  excitement  caused 
by  the  adoption  and  repeal  of  the  stamp  act,  instead  of 
being  allayed,  had  been  considerably  augmented  by  the  tax 
on  tea  voted  hi  May,  1767,  by  the  New  York  billeting  act,  and 
the  force  bill.  It  was  just  in  January,  1768,  that  Massachu- 
setts renewed  her  agitation  against  the  home  government, 
and  invited  all  the  colonies  to  cooperate  in  convening  a  con- 
gress, which  was  to  obtain  a  certain  and  speedy  redress  of 
grievances. 

Let  us  now  hear  Kalb's  opinion  of  the  state  of  things, 
without  forgetting  that  as  a  stranger  in  a  foreign  land  it  was 
only  by  degrees  that  he  could  acquire  an  understanding  of 
what  was  going  on  around  him. 

"  I  am  beginning  to  study  the  matters  relating  to  my 
commission,"  such  is  the  literal  import  of  his  first  letter  to 
Choiseul,  written  the  loth  of  January,  1768,  three  days  after 
his  arrival  at  Philadelphia,  "  and  am  in  a  fair  way  to  pro- 
cure reliable  information  as  to  the  discontent  produced  in 
the  colonies  by  the  passage  of  the  stamp  act.  This  affair  is 
very  far  from  being  adjusted.  It  is  not  the  case,  as  was 
alleged  in  Holland,  that  the  repeal  of  the  act  was  voluntary 
on  the  part  of  the  Government ;  on  the  contrary,  although 
each  province  has  its  own  separate  and  distinct  assembly, 
they  all  refused  to  acquiesce  in  the  measure  with  the  same 
decision  and  unanimity  as  if  they  had  jointly  deliberated 
upon  their  line  of  action.  Some,  it  is  true,  were  more  violent 
than  others,  but  the  substance  of  each  refusal  was  the  same. 


54  LIFEOFKALB. 

The  most  violent  of  these  provincial  assemblies  were  those 
of  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  where  the  commissioners  of  the 
new  impost  were  even  threatened  in  their  persons.  Boston 
has  promptly  renounced  all  commercial  intercourse  with 
London,  refuses  to  import  any  more  wares,  and  expresses  a 
determination  to  content  itself  with  the  productions  and  do- 
mestic fabrics  of  the  country.  The  women  even  discard  tea 
and  foreign  sugar,  and  we  are  constantly  told  of  the  activity 
of  the  spinning-wheels,  which  have  been  at  work,  ever  since 
the  promulgation  of  the  act,  to  supersede  the  use  of  English 
linens.  With  the  same  object  the  women  have  resolved  to 
dispense  with  silks  and  articles  of  luxury,  until  their  own 
country  shall  be  in  a  condition  to  furnish  them.  The  ques- 
tion is  how  long  they  will  adhere  to  this  resolution.  I  do 
not  believe  that  Philadelphia  will  adopt  the  same  policy. 
Although  the  youngest  of  the  chief  towns  of  the  north,  it  is 
the  wealthiest  and  most  luxurious.  Besides,  the  provincial 
assembly  of  Pennsylvania  has  evinced  greater  moderation  in 
this  respect.  For  the  moment  it  is  difficult  to  tell  what  the 
end  will  be.  All  depends  upon  the  policy  of  the  court, 
which  promises  to  be  a  conciliatory  one,  as  the  advantage 
derived  by  the  British  people  from  their  connection  with  the 
colonies  is  too  great  to  permit  the  Government  to  stop  short 
of  any  efforts  to  preserve  this  invaluable  magazine  of  raw 
productions,  and  this  most  profitable  market  for  its  manu- 
factures. 

"  During  the  last  outbreaks  the  troops  have  treated  the 
inhabitants  with  much  greater  circumspection  than  before, 
while  the  commanders  have  been  most  careful  to  avoid  any 
cause  of  irritation.  The  commanding  general,  who  has 
power  to  convene  the  estates  of  each  province,  to  preside  over 


LIFEOPKALB.  55 

them,  and  to  suppress  all  attempts  to  impair  the  authority 
of  the  laws,  pretends  to  ignore  all  the  libels  and  pasquils 
which  have  appeared  in  public,  and  the  names  of  the  authors 
of  which  are  in  everybody's  mouth.  This  circumstance  in- 
duces me  to  suppose  that  the  court  have  given  orders  to  this 
effect,  and  have  intended  nothing  but  a  simple  experi- 
ment. 

"The  present  condition  of  the  colonies  is  not  such  as  to 
enable  them  to  repel  force  by  force ;  but  their  value  to  the 
mother  country  is  their  best  safeguard  against  any  violation 
of  their  real  or  imaginary  privileges.  I  have  not  yet  found 
time  to  inform  myself  as  to  their  troops  and  other  warlike 
resources,  but  am  on  the  point  of  making  a  tour  through  all 
the  provinces,  and  to  open  correspondence  at  all  important 
points,  in  order  to  enable  myself  to  acquaint  you  more  fully 
with  all  matters  of  interest. 

"  If  you  have  any  commands  for  me,  be  pleased,  Monseig- 
neur,  to  have  them  written  in  the  same  cypher,  and  sent  to 
my  wife,  who  has  the  necessary  directions  for  forwarding 
them. 

"  The  remoteness  of  this  population  from  their  centre  of 
government  makes  them  free  and  enterprising  ;  but  at  bottom 
they  are  but  little  inclined  to  shake  off  the  English  suprem- 
acy with  the  aid  of  foreign  powers.  Such  an  alliance  would 
appear  to  them  to  be  fraught  with  danger  to  their  liberties. 
Their  taxes  are  very  light ;  indeed,  with  the  exception  of  the 
duties  on  imported  goods,  they  amount  to  almost  nothing. 
The  crown  has  even  relieved  the  colonies  of  the  support  of  a 
regiment  of  four  thousand  men,  so  that  now  all  the  troops 
stationed  in  the  colonies  are  in  the  pay  of  England.  This 
policy  is  evidently  necessary  under  the  circumstances.  The 


56  LIFE    OP    K  ALB. 

troops  are  frequently  changed,  every  regiment  being  recalled 
after  the  lapse  of  three  years,  and  replaced  by  another. 

"  In  case  of  an  insurrection  the  colonists  would  have 
nothing  but  their  militia  to  depend  upon,  which,  though 
very  numerous,  is  not  in  the  least  disciplined.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  immense  extent  of  the  country,  the  want  of  ready 
money,  the  discord  amon  *  the  governors  of  the  various  prov- 
inces, all  independent  of  each  other,  present  great  obstacles 
to  the  formation  of  an  army,  and  the  speedy  opening  of  hos- 
tilities in  the  respective  neighborhoods.  The  odium  in 
which  the  House  of  Commons  is  held,  is  only  equalled  by 
the  popularity  of  Pitt.  He  is  called  the  defender  of  liberty, 
because  he  was  the  only  one  who  opposed  the  stamp  act  in 
Parliament." 

This  first  letter  was  shortly  followed  by  a  second,  dated 
at  Philadelphia,  the  20th  of  January  1768,  which  contains 
more  of  the  personal  impressions  and  self-acquired  views  of 
Kalb,  while  the  first  depended  largely  on  hearsay. 

"I  had  the  honor,  Monseigneur,"  he  continues,  "of 
writing  you  on  the  15th  of  this  month.  I  hope  my  letter  has 
arrived  in  safety.  I  shall  avail  myself  of  every  ship  sailing 
from  this  port  to  report  progress. 

"  By  a  letter  from  my  wife,  dated  the  7th  of  October,  just* 
received,  I  learn  with  the  greatest  alarm  that  my  laet  from 
Holland  and  London  had  been  opened  before  reaching  you. 
This  gives  me  reason  to  apprehend  that  those  sent  from  this 
country  will  either  meet  with  the  same  fate  or  not  reach 
your  hands  at  all.  In  the  latter  case  I  should  be  cut  off 
from  all  news  from  you,  without  being  able  to  estimate  the 
penis  growing  out  of  such  a  state  of  things. 

"  I  am  inclined  to  think,  therefore,  that  it  would  be  best 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  57 

to  abridge  my  stay  in  this  country,  and  to  return  home  with 
additional  precautions,  if  this  should  meet  with  yourapprov 
al.  Permit  me,  therefore,  to  set  out  at  the  end  of  April.  I 
shall  await  your  commands  to  this  end,  and  in  the  mean  time 
shall  use  every  effort  to  perform  the  task  imposed  upon  me, 
taking  measures  to  provide  myself  with  full  information  on 
the  affairs  of  this  country  after  my  departure. 

"  The  disturbances  caused  by  the  stamp  act  seem  to  in- 
crease from  day  to  day,  instead  of  diminishing.  The  English 
Government  have  certainly  repealed  the  law,  on  discovering 
that  they  were  without  the  means  of  enforcing  it ;  but  they 
have  sanctioned  another  act  of  the  House  of  Commons,  tax- 
ing tea,  paper,  and  glass,  which  the  colonies  import  from  the 
mother  country.  This  is  a  circuitous  way  of  attaining  the 
object  of  Parliament ;  at  any  other  time  it  would  have  ex- 
cited no  opposition,  as  the  Government  has  always  exercised 
the  right  of  taxing  goods  exported  to  the  colonies." 

But  the  stamp  act  has  so  chafed  the  minds  of  the  people, 
that  the  act  last  mentioned,  which  at  any  other  time  would 
have  attracted  but  little  attention,  is  now  regarded  in  the 
light  of  a  fresh  attempt  upon  their  liberties.  It  is  said  that 
the  impost  has  only  changed  its  name,  and  that  the  revenue, 
formerly  sought  to  be  raised  by  means  of  the  stamp  act,  is 
now  the  object  of  the  tea  tax ;  that  it  is  contrary  to  all  the 
rights  of  the  subjects  of  the  crown  to  tax  them  without  their 
consent ;  that  the  colonies  are  on  a  level  with  all  other  sub- 
jects, and  that,  as  they  have  no  representatives  in  the  lower 
house,  England  ought  to  be  content  with  the  profits  it  derives 
from  selling  them  worthless  goods  at  high  prices,  and  pur- 
chasing necessaries  from  them  for  a  song ;  that  the  enormous 
amounts  of  Spanish  gold  and  silver  annually  shipped  from  the 
3* 


58  LIFE     OF    KALI'.. 

colonies  to  England,  without  any  return  of  specie  payments, 
sufficiently  prove  that  the  ultimate  advantage  is  not  on  the 
side  of  the  Americans,  and  that,  finally,  this  inequality  in  the 
weights  of  trade  makes  it  evident  that  they  are  treated  more 
like  slaves  than  like  children  and  fellow-citizens.  These  acts, 
therefore,  are  considered  so  many  violations  of  their  privi- 
leges, and  revive  all  their  grievances  which  the  colonists  claim 
to  have  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  home  government.  The 
Americans  complain  that  they  are  prevented  from  working 
their  mines ;  that  prohibitions  were  launched  against  their 
smithies  and  forges,  so  soon  as  it  was  discovered  that  the 
manufacture  of  iron  had  so  much  improved  as  to  be  almost 
equal  to  that  of  England ;  that  government  have  prevented 
the  establishment  of  various  manufactories;  that,  in  conse- 
quence of  unjust  interdictions,  the  colonies  have  lost  their 
trade  with  New  Spain,  the  Spanish  Main,  and  the  islands  of 
foreign  powers,  thus  being  deprived  of  the  supplies  of  ready 
money  required  to  inake  their  English  payments.  The  Ameri- 
cans further  contend  that  they  are  burdened  with  troops,  not 
for  purposes  of  defence,  but  for  those  of  subjugation  ;  that  the 
expenses  of  constructing  and  repairing  the  barracks  and  fur- 
nishing the  supplies  fall  upon  the  provinces ;  that  they  have 
been  forbidden  to  expand  their  paper  issues,  while  they  find* 
it  impossible  to  maintain  their  commerce  at  home  and  abroad 
•with  the  little  ready  money  remaining,  as  almost  all  the  gold 
and  silver  has  gone  across  the  ocean,  and  that  in  consequence 
it  is  impossible  to  meet  accruing  liabilities ;  that  failures  are 
occurring  every  day,  and  that  universal  distress  must  needs 
ensne. 

"  In  my  opinion  the  diminution  of  specie  is  real,  but  there 
is  reason  to  suppose  that  it  is  hoarded  on  account  of  the  dis- 


LIFE    OF    KALE.  59 

turbed  state  of  affairs.  I  cannot  believe  the  statements  made 
in  regard  to  the  sums  exported  to  England  ;  it  is  pretended 
that  the  article  of  tea  alone  has  netted  them  three  hundred 
thousand  pounds.  As  soon  as  I  can  obtain  an  insight  into 
this  matter,  T  shall  report  upon  it.  The  result  of  all  these 
facts  is,  that  the  colonies  are  more  than  ever  willing  to  re- 
trench their  expenditures,  and  live  exclusively  upon  their  own 
productions.  In  Boston  a  number  of  wealthy  men  have  just 
formed. an  association  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the  various 
trades  and  manufactures  by  loans  of  money.  If  the  country 
adheres  to  its  determination  to  import  no  goods  from  Eng- 
land, the  trade  and  the  credit  of  the  mother  country  must  in- 
evitably fall  off,  its  manufactories  must  fail,  and  its  working- 
men  be  deprived  of  their  livelihoods.  And  if  the  court  should 
undertake  to  cure  this  evil  by  imposing  additional  taxes  or 
prohibiting  the  erection  of  new  manufactories,  sedition  will 
follow,  and  the  breach  be  beyond  healing.  All  these  contin- 
gencies will  depend  in  a  great  degree  on  the  course  pursued 
by  the  next  Parliament.  I  have  already  mentioned  in  my 
last,  that  the  provinces,  after  having  separately  deliberated 
on  the  attitude  to  be  assume  1  in  regard  to  the  stamp  act, 
have  disregarded  the  order  forbidding  them  to  communicate 
their  proceedings  to  each  other,  and  have  held  a  general  con- 
vention of  deputies  from  the  different  States.  The  prohibition 
against  such  gatherings  has  been  reiterated. 

"  In  a  few  days  I  hope  to  have  the  honor  of  writing  to 
you  from  New  York." 

Kalb  quitted  Philadelphia  for  New  York  on  the  25th  of 
January,  1768.  At  that  time,  especially  in  the  winter  season, 
the  journey  occupied  as  many  days  as  it  now  does  hours. 
After  encountering  great  difficulties  in  crossing  the  Delaware 


60  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

and  Raritan,  and  travelling  three  days  in  getting  to  Princeton, 
Kalb  reached  the  shore  opposite  Staten  Island  on  the  28th, 
whence  he  was  obliged  to  cross  the  Kill.  It  was  between 
seven  and  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  weather  extreme- 
ly cold,  and  the  ground  covered  with  snow.  The  passage, 
however,  was  considered  entirely  safe  by  the  landlord  of  the 
Blazing  Star,  the  inn  at  the  landing,  and  by  the  ferrymen, 
as  there  was  but  little  ice  in  the  river,  and  a  fair  wind  blow- 
ing. The  boat  accordingly  started  from  the  shore  with  its 
nine  passengers,  including  Kalb,  and  four  horses.1*  But  no 
sooner  had  it  reached  the  middle  of  the  current  than  the 
wind  veered  round,  and  the -frail  craft  drifted  helplessly 
before  it  upon  a  little  island,  distant  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  ferry  and  from  the  mouth  of  Fishkill  Creek,  where  it  sank 
with  the  horses  and  baggage,  while  the  passengers  saved 
themselves  partly  by  swimming  and  partly  by  wading  through 
the  mud  and  ice.  The  whole  island  was  without  house,  tree, 
or  shelter  of  any  kind  against  the  piercing  cold.  Standing 
up  to  their  waists  in  the  marsh,  the  unfortunates  shouted  in 
vain  for  help  ;  their  cries  were  unheard,  as  the  wind  came  oft* 
shore,  and  directly  in  their  teeth.  Nothing  was  left  for  them 
to  do  but  to  huddle  together  as  closely  as  possible,  and  save 
themselves  from  freezing  to  death  by  exercise  and  watchfuP 
ness.  Exhausted  by  this  protracted  struggle  with  the 
elements,  one  or  two  gave  themselves  up  to  sleep,  for  which 
of  course  they  paid  the  forfeit  of  their  lives.  As  eleven  o'clock 
expired  a  boy  belonging  to  the  ferry,  followed,  at  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  by  a  \  assenger,  Mr.  George,  who  sank  into 
the  sleep  of  death  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  his  companions 
to  keep  him  awake.  The  rest  survived  the  night  of  horrors, 
and  were  descried  from  shore  at  aljout  nine  o'clock  in  the 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  61 

morning.  Benumbed  and  unconscious,  scarcely  able  to  use 
their  limbs,  they  were  loaded  upon  a  sledge,  and  conveyed 
to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Merserau.  Kalb  at  once  proceeded  to 
bathe  his  feet  and  legs  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  icy-cold 
water,  then  took  some  refreshments,  went  to  bed,  and  slept 
till  evening.  He  was  the  only  one  of  the  party  who  escaped 
without  injury.  The  surgeon  who  had  been  sent  for,  when 
told  of  this  treatment,  never  looked  at  him,  but  declared 
that  the  man  who  had  trifled  with  himself  in  tbat  manner, 
must  be  lying  dead  in  his  bed.  The  others,  who,  on  enter- 
ing the  house,  had  crowded  around  a  large  fire,  irritated  the 
chilblains  and  lost  their  toes,  one  of  them  even  a  leg,  an- 
other both  his  ears,  and  a  third  his  fingers.  Kalb,  who 
figures  in  the  account  of  the  disaster  given  by  the  "  New 
York  Gazette  "  of  February  8,  1768,  as  a  German  colonel,  lost 
all  his  baggage,  containing  several  hundred  louis  d'ors,  the 
badge  of  his  order,  and  the  key  to  his  cypher.  He  was  able 
to  proceed  to  New  York  on  the  31st  of  January,  but  his  re- 
ports to  the  Duke  of  Choiseul  were  interrupted  until  the  lat- 
ter part  of  February. 

"  The  colonies,"  he  writes  on  the  25th  of  February, 
"  seem  to  intrench  themselves  more  and  more  in  their  sys- 
tem of  opposition  and  of  economy.  It  is  said  that  the  mer- 
chants of  London  are  already  beginning  to  perceive  the 
effects  of  this  policy ;  that  in  consequence  of  it  the  wages  of 
labor  are  falling  off;  that  a  number  of  the  trades,  by  combin- 
ing among  themselves,  have  destroyed  the  business  of  those 
who  worked  for  less  than  the  established  prices.  But  on  all 
these  points  you,  Monseigneur,  must  necessarily  be  better 
informed  than  I  am. 

"  The  Assembly  at  Boston  have  just  resolved  to  remou- 


02  LIPEOFKALB. 

strate  with  the  court  against  the  tea  tax,  as  will  appear  by 
the  accompanying  English  documents,  which  I  enclose  in  the 
original,  in  order  to  excite  less  suspicion  in  case  the  lettei 
should  be  intercepted.  The  dissatisfaction  with  the  impost 
grows  out  of  their  aversion  to  being  taxed  by  the  Parliament, 
instead  of  by  the  representatives  of  their  own  provinces.  It 
would  seem  to  me  that  the  Court  of  St.  James  mistakes  its 
own  interest.  If  the  king  would  ask  the  colonies  for  sums 
much  larger  than  the  proceeds  of  the  imposts  in  dispute, 
they  would  be  granted  without  any  objection,  provided  the 
colonists  were  lei't  at  liberty  to  tax  themselves,  and,  as  free 
subjects,  to  give  their  money  with  their  own  consent.  Dur- 
ing the  late  war  they  have  paid  enormous  sums,  larger  ones 
than  the  king  demanded,  because  he  approached  their  as- 
semblies with  the  same  formalities  as  he  observed  in  calling 
upon  Parliament  for  subsidies.  It  is  a  matter  of  surprise 
that  the  court  has  discarded  this  advantageous  method,  and 
that  the  people  of  Great  Britain  are  ready  to  subvert  the 
fundamental  polity  of  the  kingdom  by  taxing  their  fellow- 
ciuzens  without  their  consent,  when  they  submit  to  the  same 
proceeding  only  at  the  hands  of  their  representatives  in  the 
House  of  Commons. 

"  The  colonies  have  the  same  right ;  they  can  only  be 
taxed  by  their  own  assemblies.  The  king  would,  therefore, 
have  to  make  an  application  for  that  purpose  to  every  single 
colony.  But  the  colonies  themselves  would  not  favor  this 
last  alternative,  partly  on  account  of  the  expense  involved, 
and  partly  on  account  of  the  certainty  of  finding  themselves 
in  a  minority  on  all  occasions,  which  would  unavoidably 
constrain  them  to  participate  in  every  war  waged  in  Europe 
by  England  or  by  the  elector  of  Hanover.  They  would 


LIFEOFKALB.  63 

prefer  a  parliament  or  a  continental  assembly,  a  power 
which,  however,  would  soon  become  dangerous  to  the  crown. 
All  classes  of  people  here  are  imbued  with  such  a  spirit  of 
independence  and  freedom  from  control,  that  if  all  the  prov- 
inces can  be  united  under  a  common  representation,  an  inde- 
pendent State  will  soon  be  formed.  At  all  events  it  will 
certainly  come  forth  in  time.  Whatever  may  be  done  in 
London,  this  country  is  growing  too  powerful  to  be  much 
longer  governed  at  so  great  a  distance.  The  population  is 
now  estimated  at  three  millions,  and  is  expected  to  double 
itself  in  less  than  thirty  years.  It  is  not  to  be  denied  that 
children  swarm  everywhere  like  ants.  The  people  are  strong 
and  robust,  and  even  the  English  officers  admit  that  the 
militia  are  equal  to  the  line  in  every  particular, 

"I  have  not  yet  obtained  accurate  information  as  to  the 
number  of  the  militia,  but  shall  soon  be  able  to  submit  a  re- 
liable report.  The  English  troops  under  General  Gage,  oc- 
cupying the  country  from  New  England  to  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico, muster  sixteen  regiments,  each  of  ten  companies,  num- 
bering seventy  men  in  time  of  peace  and  a  hundred  in  time 
of  war,  besides  a  company  of  artillery  and  a  number  of  en- 
gineers. I  believe  I  have  already  mentioned  that  these 
troops  are  changed  every  three  years,  and  are  never  recruited 
from  the  inhabitants  of  the  country. 

"  From  conversations  with  several  prominent  individuals 
here,  I  have  learned  that  the  English  Government  greatly 
regrets  having  made  peace  with  Spain  without  demanding  the 
cession  of  the  island  of  Porto  Rico,  the  position  of  which  is 
in  every  respect  so  favorable  to  English  interests.  Under  the 
pretext  of  protecting  their  trade,  the  English  Government 
has  many  men  of  war  at  sea  and  a  large  number  of  troops  on 


64  LIFEOFKALB. 

the  continent,  not  to  mention  those  already  stationed  on  tha 
islands.  It  is  evident  that  these  forces  are  so  distributed  for 
the  special  purpose  of  being  prepared  to  pounce  upon  the 
French  and  Spanish  settlements  on  these  islands  at  the  first 
speck  of  war.  That  the  English  have  treated  as  good  prizes 
several  ships  captured  near  the  island  of  San  Juan  in  the 
course  of  last  year,  you  have  doubtless  been  informed. 

"Enclosed  are  the  compacts  entered  into  between  the 
Government  and  the  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  which  will 
explain  my  recent  statement  relating  to  the  war  with  the 
savages.  On  my  return  to  France  I  shall  report  the  exact 
list  of  the  English  navy  and  merchant  marine,  as  well  as  a 
summary  of  the  entire  forces  of  England  by  land  and  sea.  I 
am  on  the  point  of  leaving  for  Boston  and  Halifax  ;  my  ship 
is  weighing  her  anchor." 

"  Here  in  Boston,"  Kalb  proceeds  in  his  report  to  Choiseul 
on  the  2d  of  March,  1768,  "I  meet  with  the  same  opinions  as 
in  the  provinces  already  visited,  only  expressed  with  greater  vio- ' 
lence  and  acrimony.  The  four  provinces  composing  New  Eng- 
land— Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  and  New 
Hampshire — appear  to  be  more  firmly  united  among  them- 
selves, in  consequence  of  the  community  of  interests,  than  the 
remaining  colonies.  Massachusetts  in  particular,  the  most 
wealthy  and  populous,  gives  the  impulse  and  the  signal  of 
independence  to  the  rest.  In  spite  of  this  restive  spirit,  how- 
ever, they  all,  from  the  leaders  down  to  the  humblest  citizen, 
seem  to  be  imbued  with  a  heartfelt  love  of  ihc  mother  coun- 
try. The  inhabitants  of  this  province  are  almost  exclusively 
Englishmen  or  of  English  stock,  and  the  liberties  so  long 
enjoyed  by  them,  have  only  swelled  the  pride  and  presump- 
tion peculiar  to  that  people. 


LIFEOFKALB.  65 

"  All  these  circumstances  go  to  show  but  too  clearly  that 
there  will  be  no  means  of  inducing  them  to  accept  of  assist- 
ance from  abroad.  In  fact,  they  are  so  well  convinced  of  the 
justice  of  their  cause,  the  clemency  of  the  king,  and  of  their 
own  importance  to  the  mother  country,  that  they  have  never 
contemplated  the  possibility  of  extreme  measures.  The  Gov- 
ernment is  accused  of  fomenting  the  existing  discontent  for 
selfish  purposes.  The  enclosed  English  slip  will  acquaint  you 
with  the  internal  dissensions  on  this  subject,  and  reveal  the 
causes  of  complaint  which  are  urged  against  the  Government. 
I  adhere  to  the  opinion  that  the  incendiaries  will  not  alone 
succumb,  but  that  the  colonies  will  yet  have  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  the  mother  country  admit  herself  to  have  been  in 
the  wrong,  and  do  her  best  to  repair  it. 

"  I  have  engaged  correspondents  here,  who  will  keep  me 
promptly  advised  of  everything  that  may  occur  hereafter. 
This  letter  goes  by  the  New  York  packet  for  Holland.  I 
myself  shall  embark  two  days  hence  for  Halifax,  when  I  shall 
repair,  according  to  circumstances,  to  Isle  Royale  and  even  to 
Canada.  At  this  moment  I  am  engaged  in  collecting  ma- 
terials relative  to  the  number  of  the  militia,  to  be  arranged  in 
the  order  of  their  regiments  and  provinces;  I  append  the  par- 
ticulars relating  to  the  form  of  government  of  each  colony. 

"  I  am  more  and  more  astonished  at  the  immense  number 
of  merchantmen  to  be  seen  in  all  the  ports,  rivers,  and  bays, 
from  the  Potomac  and  Chesapeake  to  Boston  harbor.  And 
in  addition  to  these,  numberless  ships  are  in  course  of  con- 
struction. What  must  have  been  the  trade  of  the  colonies 
before  the  disturbances  began  !  Nor  am  I  less  struck  with  the 
flourishing  appearance  of  the  interior.  On  my  return  to  France 
I  shall  report  the  most  minute  particulars  in  this  connection. 


66  LIFEOFKALB. 

"  By  a  second  letter  just  received  from  my  wife,  I  see  again 
that  my  last  lines  from  Holland  and  England  were  opened  on 
their  passage.  This  leads  me  to  fear  that  my  despatches 
from  this  country  have  either  met  with  the  same  fate,  or  per- 
haps have  not  arrived  at  all.  I  therefore  incur  the  risk  of 
remaining  entirely  without  advices  from  you ;  an  additional 
reason  for  my  speedy  return,  which,  of  course,  does  not  pre- 
clude my  coming  out  again,  if  that  should  appear  to  you  to 
be  required  by  the  interests  of  the  king's  service.  This  step 
will  enable  me  to  change  my  correspondents  and  agents  in 
England  and  Holland,  and  to  secure  better  protection  for  my 
own  correspondence  by  addresses  to  be  procured  from  my 
friends  in  the  chief  towns  of  this  country.  In  this  manner  I 
shall  be  in  a  condition  to  protect  myself,  and  guard  my  secret. 
The  perils  and  hardships  of  the  journey  do  not  deter  me,  but 
I  am  very  anxious  to  accomplish  the  ends  of  my  mission. 
The  ship  will  sail  in  two  hours  for  Halifax.  I  close." 

After  a  very  quick  voyage  Kalb  reached  Halifax  on  the 
7th  of  March,  and  there  resumed  his  correspondence  with 
Choiseul.  Meeting  everywhere  with  the  same  style  of  con- 
versation and  the  same  views  on  the  existing  state  of  the 
country,  as  he  says  in  his  letter  of  the  9th  of  March,  he  reverts 
to  the  declaration  that  the  colonies  in  all  probability  would 
never  invoke  foreign  aid  in  their  efforts  to  make  themselves 
independent  of  the  King  and  the  Parliament,  because  time, 
the  increase  of  population,  and  the  steady  increase  of  material 
prosperity,  would  of  themselves  accomplish  the  desired  change. 
The  harbor  of  Halifax  he  describes  as  one  of  the  most  spa- 
cious and  secure  of  the  continent,  and  as  the  general  rendez- 
vous for  the  Royal  Navy  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  For  this 
reason  the  fortifications  at  Cape  Breton  had  been  destroyed, 
lest  they  should  become  injurious  to  Halifax. 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  67 

Kalb  intended  to  travel  hence  to  Maine,  and  thence,  if  the 
cold  weather  continued,  to  proceed  by  sleigh  to  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  returning  to  New  York  by  the  valley  of  the  Hudson.  A 
sudden  thaw  prevented  him  from  executing  the  plan.  His 
next  report,  therefore,  was  written  at  Philadelphia  so  late  as 
the  19th  of  April,  and  contains  some  valuable  information 
relative  to  the  French-Canadians.19  "  There  are  at  this  day," 
he  says,  "  but  few  persons  in  those  immense  provinces  in  sym- 
pathy with  France.  Those  most  devoted  to  our  Government 
have  left  the  country  since  the  close  of  the  war,  and  those 
who  remain  are  satisfied  with  their  present  Government,  or 
expect  no  improvement  of  their  condition  from  a  change  of 
rulers.  Their  lands  have  risen  in  value,  they  pay  but  trifling 
taxes,  enjoy  unqualified  freedom  of  conscience,  as  well  as  all 
the  privileges  of  the  English  people,  and  take  part  in  the 
management  of  public  affairs.  Besides,  they  have  become 
closely  allied  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  prov- 
inces by  intermarriages  and  other  ties.  I  regard  it  as  my 
duty  to  speak  candidly  on  all  these  matters,  because  I  will 
not  deceive  you,  and  do  not  wish  yon  to  be  deceived  by 
others.  In  case  of  a  war  with  our  neighbors  beyond  the 
Channel  it  would  be  difficult,  therefore,  to  make  a  diversion 
to  this  part  of  their  possessions.  I  always  recur  to  my 
belief  that  the  quarrels  of  the  English  with  their  colonies 
will  terminate  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  latter.  A  war  with 
us  would  only  hasten  their  reconciliation,  and,  on  the  footing 
of  restored  privileges,  the  English  court  could  even  direct  all 
the  troops,  resources,  and  ships  of  this  part  of  the  world 
against  our  islands  and  the  Spanish  Main.  A  foreign  war  is 
less  hurtful  to  England  than  internal  discord,  which,  however, 
would  at  once  yield  to  the  necessity  of  defence  against  a 
common  foe." 


68  LIFEOFKALB. 

As  Kalb  received  the  most  of  his  private  letters  with  the 
seal  broken,  and  never  had  an  answer  from  Choiseul  to  any 
of  his  reports,  and  as,  for  this  reason,  he  feared  that  his 
correspondence  with  the  latter  had  been  either  tampered 
with  or  entirely  suppressed,  he  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  this 
painful  uncertainty  by  instantly  returning  to  France.  He 
accordingly  advised  the  duke  of  his  intention  on  the  24th  of 
April,  1768,  being  then  at  New  York,  and  offered,  if  neces- 
sary, to  return  at  once  to  America.  "Even  admitting  the 
possibility  of  a  positive  rupture,"  he  writes,  "  the  opening  of 
actual  hostilities  between  the  court  and  the  colonies  cannot 
but  be  far  distant,  as  it  presupposes  the  participation  of  the 
people,  the  shipment  of  large  masses  of  troops,  and  extensive 
levies  of  soldiers  and  sailors.  On  the  other  hand,  the  colonies, 
if  hard  pressed,  would  make  a  pretence  of  submission,  to 
gain  time  for  creating  a  navy,  concentrating  and  disciplining 
their  forces,  and  making  other  needful  preparations." 

About  the  end  of  April  Kalb  left  New  York  in  the 
packet  Minerva,  arrived  on  the  height  of  Dover  the  1st  of 
June,  went  first  to  London  to  adjust  his  accounts,  and  reached 
Paris  on  the  12th  of  June.  Learning,  on  his  first  visit  at 
Versailles,  that  of  his  numerous  reports  five  only  had  been 
received,  he  requested  a  private  audience  of  Choiseul  on  the 
23d  of  June.  The  latter  named  an  early  day,  but  postponed 
the  interview  more  than  once  on  account  of  other  business, 
so  that  on  the  18th  of  July  Kalb  sent  the  duke  a  written 
statement  of  the  English  forces  stationed  in  America  on  the 
1st  of  June,  1768.  In  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  this  paper 
on  the  22d  of  July,  Cboiseul  expressed  the  opinion  that  the 
figures  were  too  high,  as  it  was  impossible  for  England  to 
be  so  strong,  but  encouraged  him  to  make  further  reports 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  69 

from  time  to  time,  and  particularly  to  give  him  access  to 
letters  and  newspapers  received  from  America.  Up  to  the 
month  of  October  he  continued  to  manifest  an  increasing 
interest  in  American  affairs,  and  to  receive  every  information 
on  the  subject  with  the  greatest  attention.  And,  up  to  the 
close  of  the  year,  hardly  a  week  elapsed  without  Kalb's  send- 
ing the  minister  translations  from  American  journals,  or 
copies  of  his  correspondence.  On  the  6th  of  August  he 
submitted  an  elaborate  memorial,  containing  a  historical 
retrospect  of  the  discontents  of  the  colonies,  and  the  conclu- 
sions his  observations  had  led  him  to  form.  On  the  footing 
of  the  latter  Kalb  regards  it  as  indubitable  that  America 
will  at  some  day  emancipate  herself  from  England,  either 
when  the  number  of  its  inhabitants  shall  come  to  equal  those 
of  Great  Britain,  a  goal  which  the  country  is  approaching 
with  giant  strides,  as  the  population  is  swelled  not  by  births 
alone  but  by  immigration  from  every  quarter  of  Europe,  or 
when  England  shall  drive  the  colonies  to  unite  and  declare 
their  independence  by  increased  pressure  and  unbending 
severity.  He  goes  on  to  predict  that  the  Americans  will  not 
only  throw  off  all  allegiance  to  the  British  crown,  but  in  time 
will  threaten  and  indeed  annex  the  possessions  of  other 
European  powers  on  the  Northern  continent.  On  the  other 
hand  he  is  of  opinion  that  at  the  present  stage  of  the  contest 
they  will  rather  submit  than  call  in  foreign  assistance,  and 
sees  nothing  in  the  present  difficulties  but  a  family  quarrel, 
for  which  reason  also  he  has  no  doubt  that  the  ministers  will 
ultimately  adopt  a  conciliatory  policy,  and  recommends  an 
attitude  of  observation  and  expectancy. 

His   views  are  those  of  a  calm  and  sensible  observer, 
who  draws  his  conclusions  from  the  facts  before  him.     That 


70  LIFKOFKALB. 

they  were  correct  in  relation  to  the  facts  which  had  then 
transpired,  is  proved  not  only  by  the  simultaneous  opinion 
of  Durand,  the  French  Ambassador  at  London,  who,  on  the 
30th  of  August,  based  on  reliable  accounts,  declares  it  inju- 
dicious to  calculate  upon  an  early  revolution  in  the  colonies, 
while  his  successor,  Count  Chatelet,  in  an  official  paper 
dated  as  late  as  the  18th  of  November,  1768,  warns  Choiseul 
against  any  precipitate  act  of  hostility  to  England,  as  cal- 
culated to  reconcile  the  colonies  with  the  mother  country, 
and  to  unite  them  both  against  France  ;ao  but  it  is  also 
made  manifest  by  the  repeated  declarations  of  Franklin,  who 
at  that  time  also  believed  that  a  foreign  intervention  would 
result  in  silencing  the  complaints  of  the  colonies,  and  who, 
even  in  the  year  1770,  maintained  an  unbroken  faith  in  the 
adjustment  of  the  pending  difficulties. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1768  Choiseul  became  daily 
more  indifferent  to  Kalb's  reports.  His  attention  was  en- 
grossed, on  the  one  hand,  by  the  war  for  the  final  occupa- 
tion of  Corsica,  which  just  then  was  assuming  proportions 
calculated  to  concentrate  all  the  efforts  of  the  nation,  and 
on  the  other  hand  by  a  plan  he  was  then  eagerly  discussing 
with  Count  Chatelet  for  damaging  England  and  fostering 
the  discontent  of  her  colonies  by  uniting  with  Spain  in  ttie 
renunciation  of  the  old  French  and  Spanish  colonial  policy, 
and  freely  admitting  the  products  of  North  America  into 
the  colonies  of  both  Bourbon  powers.  The  execution  was 
frustrated  by  the  scruples  of  the  Spanish  minister  Grimaldi, 
who  feared  to  enhance  still  further  the  importance  and  the 
prosperity  of  a  neighbor  already  formidable,  and  likely  by 
making  it  independent  of  the  mother  country  and  assum- 
ing a  republican  form  of  government,  to  prove  positively 


LIFE    OF    KALE.  71 

dangerous  to  the  interests  of  Spain.  Choiseul  himself  was 
so  busy  with  diplomatic  transactions,  cabinet  consultations, 
reports  of  various  boards  of  trade,  and  other  matters  per- 
taining to  the  immediate  realization  of  his  revolutionary 
projects,  that  no  time  was  left  him  for  matters  comparatively 
unimportant,  such  as  Kalb's  reports.  He  acted,  therefore, 
like  all  great  men  having  no  further  use  for  those  who  have 
been  instrumental  in  furthering  their  designs  :  he  broke  with 
Kalb  on  a  most  frivolous  pretext.  Early  in  1769,  when  the 
latter  pressed  for  the  private  audience  so  long  promised, 
the  duke  sent  him  word  that  his  receptions  held  at  the  war 
department  every  Sunday  were  open  to  all  who  had  any- 
thing to  say  to  him.  Kalb  went  to  request  an  hour's  in- 
terview. Choiseul  would  not  hear  him  out,  but  interrupted 
him  by  saying,  "  You  returned  too  soon  from  America,  and 
your  labors  are  therefore  of  no  use  to  me.  You  need  not 
send  me  any  more  reports  about  that  country."  This  un- 
merited reproach21  hurt  Kalb  the  more,  as  Choiseul  had  re- 
peatedly testified  his  approbation  of  Kalb's  course,  and  had, 
but  a  few  months  previously,  handed  him  six  thousand 
francs  in  reward  of  his  services. 

Of  course  Kalb  broke  off  his  correspondence,  and  with- 
drew from  the  minister's  notice,  not,  however,  without  hav- 
ing made  him  a  proper  representation  of  the  injustice  of  his 
conduct.  On  the  4th  of  June,  1770,  the  duke  promised  to 
include  him  in  the  number  of  the  brigadiers  to  be  newly  ap- 
pointed, but  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  was  prevented  by 
the  downfall  of  the  hitherto  all-powerful  minister  at  Christ- 
mas, 1770.  But  whatever  may  have  been  the  termination- 
of  the  intercourse  between  the  gifted  statesman  and  his  con- 
scientious agent,  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that  Kalb's  reports 


72  LIFEOPKALB. 

exercised  an  immediate  influence  upon  the  politics  of  the 
period.  By  sustaining  Choiseul  in  the  firm  conviction  that 
the  difficulties  with  their  American  possessions  would  not 
allow  the  English  Government  to  obstruct  his  designs 
against  Corsica,  they  quickened  his  movements  for  the  occu- 
pation of  that  island.  The  event  justified  this  calculation, 
for  the  English  acquiesced  in  the  advances  of  the  French,  and 
contented  themselves  with  an  empty  protest  even  when  the 
occupation  of  the  island  was  complete.  England's  power 
was  paralyzed  in  America. 

This  whole  period  was  one  of  preparation  for  the  coming 
struggle,  of  secret  estrangement  and  external  cordiality 
between  the  two  courts.  They  watched  each  other  narrow- 
ly, surveyed  the  ground,  caught  every  breeze  likely  to  injure 
the  opponent,  ran  over  with  professions  of  friendship,  and 
secretly  furthered  the  plans  of  each  other's  enemies.  In 
England  money  and  supplies  were  collected  for  the  brave 
Corsicans  then  in  arms  against  the  French,  while  Choiseul, 
in  a  sudden  burst  of  anger,  threatened  to  raise  collections 
in  France  for  the  seditious  inhabitants  of  New  York  and 
Boston."  This  single  fact  throws  a  striking  light  on  the 
real  condition  of  affairs.  England  honored  the  noble  but 
unfortunate  Paoli,  who  had  taken  refuge  on  her  soil,  as  a  ifa- 
tional  hero ;  France  had  to  nurse  her  wrath  eight  years  be- 
fore she  could  revenge  herself  by  the  brilliant  reception  of 
Franklin  at  Paris. 

England  ought  to  have  known,  in  August,  1768,  what 
weight  to  attach  to  Choiseul's  expressions  of  indignation  at 
being  suspected  of  fomenting  and  cherishing  the  discontent 
of  the  American  colonies  at  a  time  of  peace.  In  the  most 
glaring  contrast  to  these  hypocritical  professions,  the  French 


LIPEOPKALB.  73 

minister  welcomed  with  perfect  rapture  every  symptom  of 
American  insubordination,  gave  audience  to  his  agents,  and 
sent  them  to  Asia  or  America  to  secretly  intrigue  against 
England,  scrupulously  preserving,  in  the  archives  of  the 
ministry  of  foreign  affairs,  every  newspaper  slip  from  the 
provincial  journals  of  Boston  or  Savannah,  every  revolution- 
ary placard,  nay,  every  sermon  of  a  discontented  New  Eng- 
land minister,  if  only  unfavorable  to  English  interests.  The 
number  of  articles  translated  by  Kalb  from  the  most  unim- 
portant local  journals  alone  amounts  to  more  than  a  hundred; 
and  at  the  present  day,  in  reading  the  letters  from  little 
towns  like  Newport,  Salem,  or  Newbern,  which  are  proba- 
bly extant  nowhere  except  in  Paris,  one  is  at  a  loss  whether 
more  to  admire  the  indefatigable  assiduity  of  the  agent,  or 
the  untiring  researches  of  the  duke.  His  downfall  frustrated 
the  execution  of  his  designs  against  the  English ;  but  after 
a  short  interval  of  five  years,  which  proved  highly  favorable 
to  the  development  of  the  American  Revolution,  they  were 
resumed  by  the  Count  de  Vergennes  with  equal  energy,  and 
carried  to  a  successful  consummation. 
4 


CH A  PTEE   V. 

KALB  BUYS  MILON  LA  CHAPELLE. — RETIREMENT. — Is  CALLED  UPON  TO  Go  10 
POLAND. — THE  CONTEST  THERE. — KALB  MAKES  STIPULATIONS. — THEY  ARE 
REJECTED. — KALB  REMAINS  AT  HOME. — His  UNEASY  AMBITION. — Hg 
ENTERS  INTO  TEMPORARY  ACTIVE  SERVICE  AT  METZ. — BROGLIE  CALLS 
UPON  ST.  GERMAIN  TO  REAPPOINT  KALB. — ST.  GERMAIN  PROPOSES  TO  SEND 
HIM  TO  AMERICA. — KALB  ACCEDES  TO  THE  PROPOSAL. — DELAYS. — KALB 
MADE  A  BRIGADIER-GENERAL  FOR  THE  COLONIES. —  PROMISES  FOR  THE 
FUTURE. — POLITICAL  SITUATION. — VERGENNES  MINISTER  OF  FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS. — His  ATTITUDE  IN  REGARD  TO  ENGLAND  AND  AMERICA. — ST. 
GERMAIN  AND  SARTINES  SIDE  WITH  HIM. — Du  CODDRAY  AND  BEAUMAR- 

CHAIS  WORK  FOR   THE  AMERICANS. — KALE'S   INTERVIEW   WITH   DEANE. 

THEIR  CONTRACTS. — LAFAYETTE. — KALB'S  INFLUENCE  UPON  HIM. — KALB 
INTENDS  TO  SAIL  FROM  HAVRE  IN  DECEMBER,  1776. — DIFFICULTIES. — IM- 
PRUDENCE OF  BEAUMARCHAIS  AND  THE  OFFICERS. — LORD  STORMOND'S  SUS- 
PICIONS.— HE  PPOTESTS  AGAINST  THE  DEPARTURE  OF  THE  EXPEDITION. — 
THE  FRENCH  GOVERNMENT  ISSUES  A  PROHIBITION  AGAINST  IT. — Du  Cou- 
DRAY  GOES  NEVERTHELESS. — KALB  REMAINS  FOR  THE  PRESENT. — His 
CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  DUBOIS. — RELATIONS  BETWEKN  FRANCE  AND 
AMERICA. — LAFAYETTE. — FRANKLIN'S  ARRIVAL  IN  PARIS. — LETTER  OF 
THE  COUNT  DE  BROGLIE. — HE  WANTS  TO  BE  DICTATOR  IN  AMERICA. — MIS- 
TAKEN SUPPOSITIONS  OF  THIS  LETTER. — POSITION  OCCUPIED  BY  THE 
FRENCH  NOBILITY  IN  REFERENCE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION. — KALB 
'NEVER  DELIVERS  THE  LETTER. — HE  RETURNS  TO  PARIS  IN  THE  FIRST  IN- 
STANCE.— POSTPONED  is  NOT  ABOLISHED. 

A  FEW  months  after  his  return  from  America  Kalb  pur- 
chased  the  chateau  of  Milon  la  Chapelle,  an  ancient 
manor  situate  about  three  miles  south  of  Versailles.  The 
former  possessor,  M.  de  Besset,  and  his  wife,  being  childless, 
and  advanced  in  years,  disposed  of  it  on  very  favorable  con- 
ditions. They  reserved  a  small  annuity,  and  the  possession 


LIFEOFKALB.  75 

for  life  of  the  old  chateau,  while  they  gave  immediate  posses- 
sion of  all  the  lands  and  feudal  rights,  at  a  pi'iceof  only  seventy- 
two  thousand  francs.  Neither  Kalb  nor  his  wife  ever  moved 
into  the  chateau,  as  both  they  and  their  eldest  son  died  before 
the  Bessets,  the  survivor  of  whom  lived  till  the  year  1798. 
The  second  son  of  our  hero,  however,  Elie  de  Kalb,  entered 
upon  the  property  after  he  had  been  permitted  by  Napoleon 
to  return  to  France,  and  it  is  still  occupied  by  his  daughter, 
the  Viscountess  d'Alzac." 

The  duties  and  responsibilities  growing  out  of  this  opera- 
tion, and  the  arrangement  of  his  affairs  in  general,  now  occu- 
pied Kalb  so  constantly,  that  he  was  compelled,  for  the  pres- 
ent at  least,  to  renounce  all  ambitious  schemes.  In  this 
manner  two  years  passed  in  rural  retirement,  which  must  have 
been  doubly  grateful  in  view  of  the  hopeless  condition  of 
public  affairs,  and  the  decay  of  morals  and  manners  in  the 
ruling  circles  of  society.  After  the  fall  of  Choiseul  the  con- 
temptible Dubarry  had  played  the  King  and  the  Government 
into  the  hands  of  a  new  set  of  men.  The  commanding  influ- 
ence which  had  been  exercised  on  the  counsels  of  Europe  by 
France  under  the  auspices  of  the  now  banished  duke,  rapidly 
fell  back  to  zero. 

Among  the  minions  of  the  omnipotent  mistress  was  the 
Count  of  St.  Florentine,  created  Due  de  Vrilliere,  secretary 
of  the  king  and  temporary  minister  of  foreign  affairs,  who 
had  known  Kalb  personally  ever  since  the  last  war,  and  who, 
in  1771,  suggested  to  him  to  go  to  Poland,  there  to  follow 
the  example  of  many  other  French  officers,  in  contending  for 
the  confederates  against  the  Russians. 

Since  the  accession  of  Stanislaus  Poniatowski  in  1764, 
Poland  had  become  a  football  in  the  hands  of  the  foreign 


76  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

powers,  especially  of  Russia,  all  at  work  to  accomplish  its 
disintegration.  The  struggles  leading  to  this  result  were 
protracted  by  the  opposition  offered  by  the  confederated 
patriot  nobility,  for  full  eight  years.  Choiseul  of  course  sided 
with  the  latter,  and  although  unable  at  that  time  to  take  their 
part  openly,  he  not  only  furnished  them  secretly  with  money, 
arms,  and  officers,  but  also  stirred  up  the  Turks  against  the 
Russians,  to  interfere  with  the  operations  of  the  latter  against 
the  Poles.  His  secret  agent,  Dumouriez,  at  Warsaw,  and  his 
envoy,  Vergennes,  at  Constantinople,  both  diplomatists  of  the 
first  water,  worked  in  concert  to  this  end.  These  matters 
also  were  greatly  changed  by  Choiseul's  fall.  The  Due 
d'Aiguillon,  now  the  foreign  minister  of  Louis  XV.,  by  his 
indifference  to  the  honor  and  fortunes  of  the  country,  by  his 
negligence  and  thoughtlessness,  forfeited  all  the  results  of  the 
labors  of  his  predecessor.  The  decadence  of  the  French 
power,  in  connection  with  England's  American  perplexities, 
made  the  partition  of  Poland  an  easy  matter  for  the  Eastern 
powers.  The  sympathies  of  the  court  of  Versailles  for  the 
unfortunate  country  were  now  confined  to  the  sending  of  a 
few  more  officers,  without  opposing  any  measure,  or  even  a 
protest,  against  the  encroachments  of  the  spoilers.  It  w_as 
about  a  year  and  a  half  before  the  partition  took  place  that 
Vrillidre,  and  Monteynard,  the  minister  of  war,  the  latter 
probably  at  the  instigation  of  the  former,  called  upon  Kalb  to 
take  part  in  the  contest.  Dumouriez  was  still  in  Poland  as 
the  secret  agent  of  France,  but  was  soon  displaced  by  the 
incompetent  Viomenil.  Kalb  was  not  unknown  to  the  Mar- 
quis de  Monteynard,  having  been  recommended  to  him  for 
promotion  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier  in  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1771,  upon  his  assuming  the  portfolio  as  successor  to  the 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  77 

Marquis  de  Castries.  While  Vrilliere  was  unreserved  in  his 
language,  the  war  minister  veiled  his  meaning  in  mysterious 
allusions  which  could  not  commit  him. 

"  The  king,"  he  wrote  to  Kalb  from  Versailles  the  4th  of 
March,  1771,  "considers  you  qualified,  by  your  talents,  for 
a  special  undertaking  of  great  importance  to  his  service.  It 
is  the  wish  of  his  Majesty  that  you  should  at  once  repair  to 
this  place,  to  receive  the  directions  relating  to  this  mission,  if 
you  are  prepared  to  embrace  this  opportunity  of  giving  fur- 
ther proofs  of  the  zeal  heretofore  manifested." 

"I  have,"  answered  Kalb  on  the  12th  of  March,  1771," 
"  maturely  considered  the  proposal  of  the  Due  de  Vrilliere, 
to  serve  the  Polish  confederation,  as  well  as  the  terms  of- 
fered, by  which  my  promotion  is  to  be  postponed  until  after 
my  return,  and  my  compensation  to  be  confined  to  what  I 
may  succeed  in  obtaining  from  the  confederation.  I  pray 
you,  therefore,  Monseigneur,  if  you  desire  to  make  use  of  me, 
and  to  give  me  an  opportunity  of  extending  my  travels  and 
improving  my  knowledge  of  men  and  things,  to  grant  me 
two  favors :  1.  The  rank  of  a  brigadier,  to  which  my  past 
services  and  my  rank  entitle  me,  so  much  the  more  as  various 
junior  officers,  M.  de  Rossiere  and  others,  have  received  it. 
This  honor  would  redouble  my  zeal  and  activity  in  the 
king's  service ;  in  my  intercourse  with  the  confederation  it 
would  be  absolutely  indisppnsable,  as  it  would  convince 
them  that  I  enjoy  the  confidence  of  my  sovereign,  and  am 
entitled  to  be  respected  accordingly,  and  that  neither  neces- 
sity nor  love  of  adventure  drives  me  into  the  ranks  of  the 
patriots.  2.  That  you  would  be  pleased,  either  in  person  or 
by  the  Due  de  Vrilliere,  to  fix  my  salary,  in  order  that  I  may 
depend  solely  upon  the  king  and  not  upon  the  confederation, 


78  LIFEOFKALB. 

who  may  perhaps  treat  me  well,  and  perhaps  ill,  in  which 
latter  case  I  need  not,  if  thus  provided  for,  resort  to  the 
painful  expedient  of  quitting  their  service. 

"A  point  of  no  less  importance  is  4,hat  I  am  not  to  be 
acknowledged  by  the  king  in  case  of  an  unforeseen  reverse. 
I  pass  this  over  in  silence,  because  His  Majesty  may  have 
reasons  for  this  policy,  to  which  I  gladly  defer;  but  it 
should  be  an  additional  inducement  to  grant  me  the  two  re- 
quests  above  mentioned,  as  at  least  some  little  equivalent  for 
the  risk  incurred  of  the  probable  consequences  of  a  refusal  to 
acknowledge  me. 

"Last  year  M.  de  Valcroissant  was  sent  to  the  Turkish 
army  as  a  brigadier,  a  rank  certainly  less  his  due  than  it 
would  be  mine,  if  services  and  seniority  are  considered. 
Besides,  he  received  pay  to  the  amount  of  thirty  thousand 
livres  per  annum.  One-fifth  or  one-sixth  of  that  sum  would 
content  me  when  once  appointed  brigadier,  because  I  do  not 
serve  to  enrich  myself,  but  to  advance  and  to  deserve  the 
favor  of  my  king  and  his  ministers." 

Kalb  evidently  distrusted  the  sincerity  and  the  good 
will  of  the  Due  de  Vrilliere  and  the  Marquis  de  Monteynard. 
The  latter  never  entertained  his  proposals,  but  simply  re- 
jected them.  A  negotiation  on  the  same  subject  opened 
early  in  August,  1771,  with  the  Due  d'Aiguillon  as  minis- 
ter of  foreign  affairs,  was  equally  ftttile.  The  Government 
had  determined  to  risk  nothing  for  the  Poles,  no  matter  how 
much  the  policy  of  the  two  countries  was  identified  by  a 
common  interest  and  by  tradition.  They  were  evidently 
preparing  to  retreat  from  the  position  occupied  by  Choiseul. 
Thus  the  idea  was  entirely  abandoned. 

Kalb  remained  at  home  for  the  present,  and  devoted  the 


LIFEOFKALB.  79 

ensuing  years  exclusively  to  his  family  and  his  private  affairs. 
His  condition  in  life  was  in  every  way  satisfactory  and  envi- 
able. He  lived  in  peace  and  comfort,  sometimes  in  Paris 
and  sometimes  at  his  country-house  of  Brouossy  near  Milon; 
his  children  throve ;  and  as  he  was  even  then  in  possession 
of  a  fortune  of  more  than  four  hundred  thousand  francs,  BO 
as  to  be  independent  in  every  respect,  he  had,  as  a  private 
man,  little  or  nothing  to  wish  for.  Nevertheless,  the  desire 
for  activity  and  distinction  constantly  interfered  with  the 
enjoyment  of  his  good  fortune  ;  his  restless  spirit  could  not 
adapt  itself  to  the  contracted  sphere  of  his  rural  retirement, 
and  at  every  glimpse  of  promotion  he  beset  his  friends  with 
solicitations  for  their  intercession,  and  wrote  plans,  opinions, 
and  proposals  about  himself  as  well  as  about  war  and  peace. 
During  the  reign  of  Louis  XV.,  however,  all  his  efforts 
to  be  restored  to  active  service  were  in  vain.  It  was  not 
until  the  accession  of  Louis  XVL  that  a  change  of  events 
occurred  favorable  to  his  aspirations.  Among  the  dignita- 
ries out  of  favor  with  the  old  court,  now  recalled  to  Ver- 
sailles and  invested  with  influential  stations,  were  the  broth- 
ers Broglie,  Kalb's  old  friends  and  patrons,  who  had  warmly 
advocated  his  claims  for  preferment  on  all  occasions.  When 
the  Comte  de  Broglie  went  to  Metz  in  1775  as  military 
commander-in-chief,  Kalb  worked  under  him  for  four  months, 
under  a  regulation  then  adopted  by  the  minister  of  war,  du 
Muy,  requiring  retired  staff  officers  to  do  duty  in  garrison 
from  time  to  time.  The  manner  in  which  his  duties  were 
performed  on  this  occasion  was  so  satisfactory  to  the  count, 
that  the  latter  personally  vouched  for  his  efficiency  to  the 
Count  of  St.  Germain,  on  the  appointment  of  the  latter  to 
the  ministry  of  war  in  October,  1775,  and  urgently  solicited 


80  LIFEOFKALB. 

his  immediate  reappointment.  This  junior  Broglie,  the 
Count  Charles  Francois  (1719  to  1781),  was  no  less  faithful 
as  a  friend  and  zealous  as  a  supporter,  than  bitter  and  im- 
placable as  an  enemy,  never  forgiving  and  constantly  thwart- 
ing those  who  refused  to  subject  themselves  implicitly  to  bis 
dictation,  while  indulging,  aiding,  and  encouraging  all  those 
who  devoted  themselves  unreservedly  to  his  interests.  In 
public  life  he  gained  less  distinction  as  a  general  and  poli- 
tician, than  as  a  ready  intriguer.  He  was  of  the  party  which 
had  broken  down  the  Due  de  Choiseul,  behind  whose  back 
he  had  acted  for  years  as  head  of  the  secret  cabinet  of  Louis 
XV.,  and  never  deceived  himself  in  the  selection  of  the  in- 
struments of  his  ambition,  but  frequently  erred,  as  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  see  hereafter,  in  his  political  plans  and  pro- 
jects, which  were  almost  never  regulated  by  a  correct 
knowledge  of  men  and  things." 

St.  Germain  answered  the  Comte  de  Broglie's  note  on 
the  10th  of  December,  1775,  regretting  that  no  opening  then 
offered  for  Kalb  in  the  army,  but  wrote  at  the  foot  of  the 
letter  with  his  own  hand,  "  When  you  shall  have  returned 
here,  M.  le  Corate,  we  shall  see  what  disposition  may  be 
made  of  M.  de  Kalb."  This  hint  referred  to  America,  which 
was  just  then  more  than  ever  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
French  Government.  Broglie  came  to  Paris  and  Versailles 
early  in  the  ensuing  year,  and  eagerly  seconded  St.  Germuin's 
proposal  to  send  our  hero  to  the  assistance  of  the  rebellious 
colonies.  Kalb  himself  was  soon  after  admitted  to  an  audi- 
ence of  the  minister  of  war.  The  particulars  of  their  inter- 
view have  not  been  recorde  1 ;  but  the  result  was  that  Kalb's 
position  in  the  French  army  remained  unaltered,  a  two  years' 
furlough  only  being  grantel  him. 


LIFEOPKALB.  81 

At  the  same  time  St.  Germain  promised  to  procure  for 
him  the  rewards  and  honors  corresponding  to  the  risk  in- 
curred and  the  advantages  to  be  attained,  and,  at  the  first  op- 
portunity, to  bestow  upon  him  the  dignity  of  a  "  marechal  de 
camp";  declining,  however,  to  accede  to  his  request  to  ap- 
point him  a  brigadier  immediately,  on  account  of  the  attention 
which  would  have  been  attracted  by  such  a  departure  from 
ordinary  rules,  in  the  absence  of  a  vacancy  of  that  grade  in 
the  army.  Nevertheless,  on  the  6th  of  November,  1776,  M. 
de  Sartines  handed  Kalb  a  commission  as  brigadier-general 
tor  the  islands.  In  France  he  now  had  little  or  nothing  to 
hope  for,  while  a  wide  field  was  opened  to  him  on  the  other 
side  of  the  ocean.  Honor  and  renown  invited  him  to  try  his 
fortunes  there.  He  made  up  his  mind  to  go;  resolving, 
however,  before  preparing  for  his  departure,  to  await  the  ex- 
pected arrival  in  Paris  of  the  American  agent,  Silas  Deane, 
an  event  which  was  delayed  until  the  beginning  of  July, 

1>-H  a 
I  I  O. 

Months  again  elapsed  before  Kalb  entered  into  com- 
munication with  him.  The  cause  of  this  delay  does  not 
appear.  Diplomatic  and  personal  scruples  appear  to  have 
obstructed  his  path  for  some  time,  and  the  general  politics 
of  the  day  were  not  without  their  influence  on  Kalb's  move- 
ments. It  is  known  that  the  year  1776  was  occupied  with 
the  covert  diplomacy  of  the  French  ministry  for  and  with 
the  American  insurgents,  in  secretly  supporting  and  openly 
repudiating  them,  in  steps  looking  to  a  more  open  policy, 
and  in  sudden  relapses  and  tergiversations. 

The  Government  of  Louis  XVI.  had  from  the  first  given 
its  special  attention  to  the  disturbances  in  the  American 
colonies,  the  Comte  de  Vergennes,  minister  of  foreign  affairs, 
4* 


82  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

in  particular,  having  omitted  no  opportunity,  since  the  open- 
ing of  hostilities  by  the  engagement  at  Lexington  and  the 
taking  of  Ticonderoga,  of  making  England's  embarrassments 
of  advantage  to  France  and  Spain.  In  the  cabinet  the 
ministers  of  war  and  marine,  St.  German  and  Sartines,  were 
entirely  on  bis  side,  while  Maurepas,  Malherbes,  and  Turgot 
were  more  inclined  for  peace,  the  latter  especially  opposing 
warlike  measures  on  account  of  the  shattered  state  of  the 
finances.  The  young  king  vacillated  between  both  parties, 
and  was  open  to  every  impression,  without  being  capable 
of  forming  a  judgment  of  his  own  upon  any  topic.  The  only 
question  was  who  was  the  longest  and  the  last  to  influence 
him.  Vergennes  was  a  shrewd  and  clear-headed  statesman, 
without  the  impetuosity  of  genius,  but  unerring  in  his  aims, 
which  he  pursued  often  with  insignificant  means,  but  gen- 
erally with  success.  Belonging  to  the  lower  order  of  nobility, 
he  had  elevated  himself  by  his  own  exertions,  and,  serving 
under  Choiseul,  had  gone  through  a  superior  diplomatic 
training  as  envoy  at  Stockholm  and  Constantinople.  Hav- 
ing, by  his  representatives  and  agents,  among  whom  the 
notorious  Bonvouloir  was  one  of  the  most  adroit  and  reliable, 
obtained  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  objects  and  intentions 
of  the  colonies,  he  never  urged  the  irresolute  king,  but  edified 
him  and  all  the  world  with  homilies  on  the  sanctity  of  exist- 
ing contracts  and  the  necessity  of  peace,  while  in  secret, 
without  committing  the  Government,  he  did  his  utmost  to 
further  the  development  of  affairs  across  the  Atlantic.  It 
was  not  until  March,  1776,  when  just  in  receipt  of  an  elabo- 
rate report  from  Bonvouloir,  that,  in  a  solemn  council  of 
ministers  he  reminded  the  passive  king  of  the  absolute  neces- 
sity of  securing  Fran  "  against  any  peril  growing  out  of  the 


LIFEOPKALB.  83 

Anglo-American  disturbances,  suggesting  that,  after  subdu« 
ing  the  American  rebellion,  England  would  bring  her  whole 
force  to  bear  upon  her  natural  foes  and  rivals,  Spain  and 
France,  as  her  statesmen  for  years  had  never  inquired  what 
harm  they  were  actually  suffering  at  the  hands  of  the  latter 
power,  but  always  what  harm  they  might  possibly  suffer 
hereafter.  England  should  therefore  be  encouraged  to  adopt 
the  most  stringent  measures  against  her  colonies,  and  to  be 
nursed  in  the  belief  that  the  Bourbon  powers  were  not  only 
peaceful  in  their  inclinations,  but  fearful  of  the  costs  of  a 
war ;  on  the  other  hand,  however,  the  colonies  must  not  be 
suffered  to  despair,  but  must  be  further  estranged  from  the 
mother  country,  and  confirmed  in  their  aspirations  after 
independence  by  undefined  promises  and  even  some  secret 
assistance,  such  as  gratuitous  shipments  of  munitions  of  war." 
This  discourse  came,  in  the  sequel,  particularly  after  the 
great  and  good  Turgot  had  been  compelled  to  give  way 
before  the  bitter  animosity  of  the  higher  nobility,  to  consti- 
tute the  programme  which,  often  abandoned  and  resumed, 
was  finally  carried  out,  until  at  length  an  open  rupture 
became  inevitable.  Vergennes  closely  followed  the  course 
pursued  by  England  at  the  time  of  the  French  occupation 
of  Corsica.  He  also  secured  the  cooperation  of  Spain,  whose 
interests  had  been  much  impaired  by  the  common  enemy  in 
Morocco,  Algiers,  and  the  Philippine  Islands.  On  the  2/th 
of  June,  1776,  King  Charles,  without  the  knowledge  of  any 
of  his  cabinet  except  the  prime  minister  Grimaldi,  and  with- 
out communicating  with  his  ambassador  at  Paris,  sent  a 
million  of  francs  as  his  moiety  contributed  to  the  joint 
support  of  the  Americans.  While  Vergennes  found  in 
Beaumarchais,  who  had  approved  himself  as  a  skilled  diplo- 


84  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

matist  under  the  preceding  Government  in  various  transac- 
tions with  the  notorious  Chevalier  d'Eon,  the  pamphleteer 
Morande,  and  others,  an  excellent  go-between  to  cover  his 
relations  with  the  American  agent,  St.  Germain  employed 
a  prominent  artillery  officer,  in  the  person  of  Adjutant- 
General  Colonel  du  Coudray,  who,  in  1774,  had  made  the 
round  of  the  garrisons  of  the  kingdom  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  stock  of  guns  and  small  arms  on  hand,  to 
select  from  the  arsenals  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war 
intended  for  the  Americans,  and  transport  them  to  tin 
various  seaports.  With  this  object  du  Coudray,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1776,  visited  Met/,  Maubeuge,  St.  Etienne,  Besan$on, 
Charleville,  Strasburg,  and  Dijon,  and  made  choice  of  two 
hundred  four-pound  field-pieces,  with  a  hundred  thousand 
balls,  besides  thirty  thousand  stand  of  small  arms,  and 
ammunition,  and  tour  thousand  tents.  Sartines  at  the  same 
time  acted  in  concert  with  the  Comte  de  Vergennes,  endeav- 
oring to  mask  the  proceedings  from,  the  scrutiny  of  the 
British  by  pretending  to  order  the  arms  taken  from  the 
arsenals  by  du  Coudray,  to  St.  Domingo  and  other  colonies, 
and  attaching  the  officers  ordered  to  America  by  the  minister 
of  war,  with  a  superior  rank,  to  an  expedition  also  ostensibly 
designed  for  the  colonies. 

Under  the  mantle  of  the  same  device  Kalb  was  likewise 
to  proceed  to  America,  to  place  his  knowledge  and  experience 
at  the  disposal  of  the  rebellious  colonies,  in  the  interest  of 
France.  His  first  interview  with  Deane  took  place  on  the 
5th  of  November,  the  date  intervening  between  that  of  his 
furlough  and  that  of  his  promotion,  a  circumstance  pointed 
out  by  the  American  agent  himself  in  his  letters  to  the  Con- 
gressional Committee  on  Secret  Correspondence. 


LIFEOFKALB.  85 

"  The  rage,  as  I  may  say,  for  entering  into  the  American 
service,"  writes  Silas  Deane  from  Paris,  November  6,  1776,"* 
"  increases,  and  the  consequence  is  that  I  am  pressed 
with  offers  and  proposals,  many  of  them  from  persons  of  the 
first  rank  and  eminence,  in  the  sea  as  well  as  land  service. 
Count  Broglie,  who  commanded  the  army  of  France  during 
the  last  war,  did  me  the  honor  to  call  on  me  twice  yester- 
day with  an  officer  who  served  as  his  quartermaster-general 
in  the  last  war,  and  has  now  a  regiment  in  this  service,  but 
being  a  German, — the  Baron  de  Kalb, — and  having  travelled 
through  America  a  few  years  since,  he  is  desirous  of  engaging 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States  of  North  America.  I  can 
by  no  means  let  slip  an  opportunity  of  engaging  a  person 
of  so  much  experience,  and  who  is  by  every  one  recommended 
as  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  skilful  officers  in  the  king- 
dom ;  yet  I  am  distressed  on  every  such  occasion  for  want 
of  your  particular  instructions.  This  gentleman  has  an 
independent  fortune,  and  a  certain  prospect  of  advance- 
ment here ;  but  being  a  zealous  friend  to  liberty,  civil  and 
religions,  he  is  actuated  by  the  most  independent  and  gener- 
ous principles  in  the  offer  he  makes  of  his  servicse  to  the 
States  of  America." 

Deane  accordingly  engaged  the  services  of  Kalb  as  ma- 
jor-general, his  seniority  to  date  from  the  7th  of  November, 
1776,  and  reported,  on  the  28th  of  the  same  month,  that  he 
regarded  them  as  a  great  acquisition  to  the  cause  of  American 
liberty.  The  formal  contract  was  signed  by  both  parties  on 
the  1st  of  December.  Kalb  signed  for  himself  and  fifteen 
companions,  among  whom  were  the  Vicomte  de  Mauroy, 
major-general,  Dubuysson,  afterward  his  aide  and  major, 
von  Holtzendorff,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  various  officers  of 
every  grade  down  to  that  of  lieutenant. 


86  HFEOFKALB. 

The  English  ambassador  was  not  ill  served  by  his  spies, 
who  informed  him,  as  early  as  the  4th  of  December,  that 
Kalb  was  on  the  point  of  going  to  America,  at  the  wish  and 
instigation  of  the  French  Government. 

"  I  am  very  credibly  informed,"  writes  Lord  Stormond  on 
that  day  confidentially  to  Lord  Viscount  Weymouth,  con- 
'  founding  correct  with  incorrect  statements,  "  a  Mons.  Colbe, 
a  Swiss  officer  formerly  in  this  service,  who  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  famous  van  Robais,  was  sent  for  to  Fontaiuebleau, 
and  stayed  there  some  days.  It  was  proposed  to  him  that  if 
he  would  go  to  St.  Domingo  and  from  thence  to  North 
America,  he  should  have  the  rank  of  Brigadier,  and  nine  or 
ten  thousand  livres  a  year  during  the  time  of  his  being  em- 
ployed. These  conditions  he  accepted  after  some  hesitation, 
and  set  out  from  hence  on  Monday  last.  He  is  accompanied 
by  a  Mons.  Holtzendorff,  a  Prussian  by  birth,  who  was  like- 
wise engaged  by  this  court,  and  has  had  the  rank  of  lieuten- 
ant-colonel given  him,  with  six  thousand  livres  a  year.  He 
is  not  thought  to  be  an  officer  of  any  distinction,  but  M. 
Colb6  is,  I  am  told,  a  man  of  ability.  He  was  sent  to  North 
America  during  the  ministry  of  M.  de  Choiseul,  who  gave 
him  the  '  ordre  de  merite.'" 

In  point  of  fact  the  negotiations  had  not  yet  reached  this 
point.  Kalb  was  still  in  Paris,  and  concluded  a  new  agree- 
ment with  Deane  on  the  7th  of  December,  which  bears  the 
additional  signature  of  Lafayette.  This  young  man  had 
then  just  completed  his  nineteenth  year.  He  was  filled  with 
yo.ithful  enthusiasm  for  America,  and  a  burning  desire  to 
flesh  his  sword  in  a  transatlantic  crusade.  His  kinsman  and 
paternal  friend,  the  Comte  de  Broglie,  who  had  knowledge 
of  his  plans,  and  who,  at  the  same  time,  was  Kalb's  ardent 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  87 

protector,  referred  his  cousin  to  the  latter,  and  recommended 
him  to  his  care  and  counsel.  It  must  have  been  between  the 
1st  and  7th  of  December  that  Kalb  introduced  his  protege 
to  Deane,  for  he  is  not  named  at  all  in  the  contract  bearing 
the  former  date,  while  he  signs  the  latter  as  one  of  the  par- 
ties. 

Kalb  had  been  clear  from  the  first  that  the  colonies  could 
not  reckon  upon  a  steady  and  vigorous  support  at  the  hands 
of  France,  unless  they  should  succeed  in  enlisting  the  sym- 
pathies of  a  considerable  number  of  individuals  eminent  by 
birth  and  station.  He  therefore  made  it  his  special  object  to 
confirm  young  Lafayette  in  his  noble  and  disinterested  zeal, 
as  he  did  not  fail  to  perceive  that  he  would  draw  after  him 
many  others  of  the  sprigs  of  the  high  nobility,  and  thus,  pos- 
sibly, make  interest  enough  ultimately  to  bring  about  an 
alliance  between  the  two  countries.  As  a  man  of  riper  years 
and  established  reputation,  whose  judgment  and  experience 
had  weight  with  younger  men,  he  brought  the  indefinite  and 
sometimes  wandering  ambition  of  the  French  nobles  to  bear 
upon  a  practical  object,  and  gave  a  political  direction  to  the 
enthusiasm  for  philosophy  and  the  rights  of  man  then  raging 
among  fashionable  circles.  He  managed  to  identify  with  it 
the  struggle  against  England,  and  the  necessity  of  wiping 
from  the  French  escutcheon  the  stains  inflicted  by  the  Seven 
Years'  War  ;  and  by  this  exercise  of  his  personal  influence,  he 
made  himself  not  only  the  leader  and  adviser  of  the  young 
nobility,  but  also  contributed  no  less  to  the  final  success  of 
the  American  arms,  than  he  was  afterward  instrumental  in 
promoting  it  as  a  commander  in  the  field. 

It  was  about  the  end  of  November  or  beginning  of  De- 
cember, 1776.  Deane  intended  to  send  the  cannon  above 


88  LIFEOFKALB. 

named,  as  well  as  the  ammunition,  arms,  and  tents,  which  the 
French  Government  had  presented  to  the  colonies,  together 
with  the  officers,  from  Havre,  Nantes,  L'Orient,  and  Dunkirk, 
to  America.  Kalb  himself  was  to  sail  from  Havre  with  one 
of  the  very  first  vessels.  It  had  been  sufficiently  difficult  to 
collect  these  various  articles  from  out  of  the  fortresses  of  the 
eastern  and  northern  parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  convey  them 
to  the  western  ports,  without  exciting  the  suspicions  of  the 
English  ambassador ;  but  these  difficulties  were  increased 
tenfold  when  they  were  to  be  shipped  at  these  ports  in  the 
vessels  taken  by  the  officers  enlisted  by  Deane.  The  minis- 
ters answered  Lord  Stormond's  remonstrances  by  saying  that 
the  munitions  of  war  and  the  officers  were  intended  for  the 
colonies ;  but  this  allegation  was  contradicted  by  the  cir- 
cumstance that  merchantmen,  and  not  men  of  war,  were 
employed  for  the  purpose.  Moreover,  the  young  officers  be- 
longing to  the  expedition  committed  great  indiscretions — 
went  through  the  streets  of  Havre  and  Nantes  boasting  of 
their  intended  exploits,  and  discussed  their  plans  and  pro- 
jects in  the  coffee-houses,  as  if  with  the  design  of  provoking 
the  misgivings  of  the  English  minister.  Even  Beaumarchais, 
who  had  hastened  to  Havre,  under  the  assumed  name  of 
Durand,  to  superintend  the  embarcation,  lapsing  from  his 
great  mercantile  role  into  the  weaknesses  of  the  literary  man, 
could  not  deny  himself  the  satisfaction  of  having  his  come- 
dies performed  during  his  presence  at  Havre,  and  even  at- 
tended the  rehearsals.1" 

One  of  Deane's  ships,  ostensibly  bound  for  St.  Domingo, 
the  Amphitrite,  was  to  take  General  du  Coudray,  Avhile  an- 
other, "  la  Seine"  was  to  carry  the  cortege  headed  by  Kalb, 
who  reached  Havre  o  the  10th  of  December.  The  former 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  89 

actually  set  sail  from  Havre  on  the  14th  of  December,  but 
returned  in  a  few  days  to  L'Orient,  dissatisfied  with  the  ac- 
commodations of  the  vessel  and  the  storage  of  the  cargo." 
At  the  energetic  interpellation  of  Lord  Stormond,  the  French 
ministers  now  could  not  avoid  issuing  an  unqualified  inter- 
dict of  the  expedition.  To  this  was  added  the  news  of  the 
defeat  of  the  Americans  in  the  campaign  of  1776 — a  sufficient 
reason  with  Vergennes  for  even  withholding,  for  the  pres- 
ent, the  supplies  already  on  shipboard.80  Du  Coudray  again 
set  sail,  alone,  on  the  14th  of  February,  1777  ;  but  Kalb  and 
his  companions  remained,  awaiting  a  more  favorable  oppor- 
tunity. 

While  Kalb  was  still  at  Havre,  expecting  the  removal 
of  the  obstacles  to  his  departure,  he  received,  from  one  of 
his  confidants,  Dubois  Martin,  secretary  of  the  Comte  de 
Broglie,  reports  of  occurrences  at  Paris,  and  the  prospects 
of  Lafayette  and  his  friends,  and  consulted  with  him  on  their 
mutual  plans  for  the  future.  Dubois'  letters,  dated  the  8th, 
14th,  and  17th  of  December,  throw  a  new  light  upon  this 
still  obscure  stage  of  the  relations  of  France  with  America, 
and  therefore  deserve  to  be  given  here  at  length.31 

"  I  have  received,"  says  Dubois,  December  the  8th,  "  the 
letter  you  sent  me  in  favor  of  M.  Gerard  for  Mr.  Deane. 
Receive  my  thanks  for  your  attention  and  punctuality  at  a 
moment  when  you  are  so  much  occupied  with  your  impending 
departure.  I  have  been  persuaded  by  M.  de  Mauroy  and  de 
la  Roziere  to  dine  with  them.  The  Marquis  de  Lambert 
occupied  me  with  his  conversation  for  a  long  time,  and  the 
Marquis  de  Lafayette  has  conversed  with  me  for  at  least  three 
hours  at  two  sittings.  But  you  have  seen  him  this  morning 
after  he  had  left  me  ;  I  am  not,  therefore,  called  upon  to 
relate  what  took  place  between  us  this  evening. 


90  LIFEOFKALB. 

"  Lafayette  has  probably  told  you  that  the  Due  d'Ayen 
(his  father-in-law)  had  written,  or  intended  to  write,  to  M.  de 
Maurepas.  The  answer  of  the  minister  was  to  the  effect  that 
he  knew  nothing  of  the  entry  of  French  officers  into  the  ser- 
vice of  the  English  colonies,  that  such  a  step  would  be  an  act 
of  hostility,  which  his  Majesty  was  far  from  sanctioning  ;  that 
the  king  was  much  gratified  with  the  evidences  of  the  zeal 
of  the  Vicomte  de  Noailles  (Lafayette's  brother-in-law),  but 
that  he  must  not  think  of  going  to  America.  On  the  strength 
of  this  letter,  which  is  exactly  what  it  should  have  been,  when 
a  matter  calculated  for  oral  communication  only  is  committed 
to  writing,  the  Vicomte  de  Noailles  renounces  his  plan.  The 
answer  of  M.  de  Maurepas  will  certainly  get  before  the  pub- 
lic, and  no  doubt  come  to  the  knowledge  of  Lord  Stormond, 
so  that,  if  this  ambassador  and  his  court  put  faith  in  it  (a 
question  which  I  leave  to  your  decision),  your  journey  to 
St.  Domingo  will  not  be  molested.  Our  young  marquis 
(Lafayette)  does  not  despair;  he  still  has  the  greatest  desire 
to  go,  and  is  on  tho  point  of  writing  to  Ruffec  (the  Comte  de 
Broglie's  country-seat)  for  advice  and  information.  He  is 
satisfied  with  sending  his  letter  by  mail,  which  will  give  him 
leisure  for  reflection,  and  the  count  sufficient  time  for  consid- 
eration. I  do  not  yet  know  what  will  be  Lafayette's  final 
resolution.  M.  de  Noailles,  having  renounced  his  own  de- 
signs, will  probably  endeavor  to  dissuade  the  marquis  from 
adhering  to  his,  in  which  attempt  he  will  of  course  be  seconded 
by  his  family.  I  shall  have  the  honor,  if  there  is  sufficient 
time,  of  informing  you  of  any  turn  the  affair  may  take  here- 
after, availing  myself,  for  that  purpose,  of  the  address  of  M. 
Ferny. 

u  Yesterday,"  continues  Dubois,  from  Paris,  the  14th  of  De- 


LIFE    OF    KALE.  91 

cember,  1776,  "I  received  your  favor  of  the  10th  instant.  I 
am  waiting  for  news  from  Ruffec,  and  it  gives  me  great  pleas 
ure  to  hope  there  may  be  time  to  transmit  them  to  you. 

"  It  must  be  confessed  that  secrecy  is  a  virtue,  and  that 
you  have  every  reason  to  congratulate  yourself  on  having 
escaped  the  consequences  of  the  precautions  taken  by  your 
braggart  friends  to  prevent  your  journey  from  becoming  pub- 
licly known. 

"The  Due  d'Ayen  had  written  to  M.  de  Maurepas  for  the 
Vicomte  de  Noailles.  The  minister  answered  that  he  knew 
nothing  about  the  matter,  and  that  he  could  not  allow  the 
vicomte  to  go.  The  Marquis  de  Lafayette  is  not  discouraged. 
He  is  waiting  for  the  answer  to  a  letter  which  he  has  handed 
to  me  (for  the  count),  and  will  take  the  advice  which  will  be 
given  him.  He  is  a  most  splendid  young  man,  and  sincerely 
devoted  to  you. 

"The  latest  news  which  occupies  all  the  world  here,  is  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Franklin  at  Nantes,  who,  as  I  may  remark  in 
passing,  has  even  taken  a  ship  on  his  journey  hither.  He  will, 
as  M.  de  Fayolles  writes  me,  set  out  for  Paris  to-day  or  to- 
morrow. 

"  Mr.  Deane  will  wait  till  Monday  before  handing  M.  de 
Mauroy  the  despatches  intended  to  have  been  delivered  last 
Thursday.  He  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Franklin,  by  which 
this  matter  was  protracted.  Two  persons  have  to-day  in- 
formed me,  that  a  prohibition  has  been  published  against  dis- 
cussing the  war  in  the  cafds.  The  precaution  is  a  timely  one, 
as  the  war  is  at  present  the  subject  of  every  conversation. 

"  I  hope  to  send  you  some  news  from  Ruffec  before  your 
departure,  and  would  request  you  to  forward  the  enclosed 
little  note  to  M.  de  Sonneville." 


92  LIFEOFKALB. 

"I  have  the  honor,1'  says  Dubois  in  his  final  epistle  of  De- 
cember 17,  "to  enclose  a  letter  just  received  for  you  from  the 
Comte  de  Broglie,  while  yours  of  the  14th  instant  only  came 
to  hand  yesterday. 

"  M.  du  Coudray  and  his  companions  have  my  best  wishes 
for  their  success,  and  I  hope  that,  contrary  to  general  expec- 
tation, he  may  elude  the  pursuit  of  our  neighbors. 

"  I  should  be  glad  if  you  would  come  here  once  more,  to 
see  Mr.  Franklin.  It  would  greatly  further  the  negotiation 
you  have  undertaken,  as  it  is  possible  that  otherwise  some 
other  party  may  approach  this  member  of  Congress  with  the 
same  views  as  those  we  advocate.  If  you  cannot  get  away  I 
would  like  you  to  write  to  Mr.  Deane,  asking  him  whether  or 
not  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Franklin  will  effect  any  alteration  in 
the  form  or  spirit  of  his  despatches,  or  in  the  plan  you  have 
submitted  to  him  for  the  choice  of  a  commander-in-chief. 

"  At  all  events  you  might  warn  him  against  giving  too 
ready  an  ear  to  suggestions  of  parties  probably  ill  calculated 
for  so  important  a  position,  as  I  am  quite  sure  you  agree  with 
me  in  opinion  that  there  is  not  a  man  in  Europe  so  well  fitted 
for  the  office  as  ours  (Broglie).  I  do  not  entertain  this  view 
because  of  any  predilection  for  the  candidate.  You  would 
very  much  oblige  me  by  an  intimation  respecting  your  i  leas 
and  intentions  on  this  head. 

"  It  is  given  out  here  that  the  insurgents  have  made  peace. 
I  do  not  believe  it,  because  M.  du  Coudray  has  been  allowed 
to  depart.  It  is  true  that  the  news  was  only  published  on 
Sunday  the  15th.  Mr.  Deane  expects  Mr.  Franklin  to-day. 
He  has  now  postponed  to  next  Thursday  the  delivery  of  his 
despatches  to  M.  de  Mauroy.  The  latter  also,  as  you  see,  is 
not  ready  to  start.  It  is  said  here  that  a  courier  has  been 


LIFEOFKALB.  93 

sent  to  the  barber  of  Seville  (Beaumarchais),  whose  discretion 
surprises  me.  I  hope  you  will  adopt  something  of  my  mode 
of  proceeding,  if  the  publicity  he  has  given  to  his  Havre 
expedition  should  be  attended  with  no  ill  consequence.  M. 
de  Mauroy  desires  his  kindest  regards.  As  the  count  is  very 
fond  of  him,  I  wish  you  may  become  very  intimate  in  foreign 
parts." 

The  obscure  passages  in  the  preceding  lines  are  explained 
by  the  following  letter  of  the  Comte  de  Broglie  himself. 
Characteristic  of  the  selfish  point  of  view  in  which  the 
French  magnates  regarded  the  American  contest,  and  inter- 
esting from  the  clearness  with  which  it  displays  the  plans 
and  hopes  they  founded  upon  it,  it  discloses  the  bloated  self- 
conceit  of  the  ruling  class,  the  narrowness  of  their  social 
prejudices,  and  their  utter  inability  to  understand  the  scope 
and  reach  of  the  American  revolution. 

In  the  eyes  of  these  well-seasoned  politicians  and  states- 
men, the  enthusiasm  entertained  by  the  younger  nobility  for 
a  war  waged  in  support  of  popular  rights,  was  at  best  a 
drapery  for  their  own  selfish  purposes.  For  such  men  noth- 
ing was  good,  just,  or  honorable,  except  what  benefited  them 
personally,  and  damaged  the  English.  Thus  America  was  a 
soil  upon  which  to  display  their  talents  to  the  gaze  of  an 
admiring  world  ;  the  people  there  fighting  for  their  liberties 
came  to  be  considered,  at  the  utmost,  as  materials  with 
which  the  great  were  to  work  out  the  splendor  of  their 
renown.  A  sound  appreciation  of  the  merits  of  the  issue 
was  as  distant  from  their  minds  as  the  scene  of  the  drama 
was  remote  from  their  corporal  vision.  What  interest  they 
did  take  hi  this  phase  of  the  question  was  such  as  would 
have  been  manifested  by  the  condescending  nod  of  approba- 


94  LIFEOFKALB. 

tion  with  which  a  lord  contemplates  the  provident  upon 
whom  he  bestows  his  charity,  not  so  much  for  the  happiness 
of  the  poor  man  as  to  illustrate  his  own  munificence.  The 
peasant  republic  appeared,  to  the  leading  nobles  of  that  day, 
as  clear  of  any  connection  with  the  past  or  future  of  the 
civilized  world,  as  the  Circassians  or  the  Bedouins  appear  to 
the  present  generation  ;  and  Washington  was  little  more  to 
them  than  the  brave  Schamyl  or  Abdelkader  to  the  modern 
newspaper  reader.  The  candor  with  which  this  way  of 
thinking  and  these  designs  are  revealed  in  de  Broglie's 
letter,  is  precisely  what  makes  it  so  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive. How  little  Silas  Deane,  incompetent  as  he  was,  can 
have  been  convinced  of  the  justice  of  his  cause  and  the 
success  of  his  countrymen,  how  perfectly  ignorant  he  must 
have  been  of  the  nature  and  bearing  of  the  contest,  is 
shown  by  his  favoring  and  approving  the  plan  of  the 
French,  instead  of  repelling  it  with  utter  scorn  as  incompati- 
ble with  the  honor  of  his  country.  Can  the  French,  under 
these  circumstances,  be  blamed  for  considering  the  Ameri- 
cans simply  as  their  passive  instruments  ? 

"I  have  seen  with  pleasure,"  writes  de  Broglie  at  his 
country-seat,  Ruffec,  the  llth  of  December,  "from  the  rela- 
tions of  M.  Dubois  Martin,  as  well  as  from  your  last  letter 
of  the  5th  instant,  the  good  progress  of  your  affairs,  and 
hope  that  all  your  wishes  will  continue  to  be  realized.  You 
may  rest  assured  that,  on  my  part,  I  shall  not  neglect  your 
interests,  which,  as  you  will  not  fail  to  remember,  I  have  at 
all  times  advocated,  the  more  cheerfully  that  I  know  that 
the  favor  of  the  king  could  not  be  better  bestowed. 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that  the  plan  communicated  to  you  by 
M.  Dubois  meets  you  entire  approbation.  It  is  clearly  in- 


LIFEOPKALB.  95 

dispensable  to  the  permanence  of  the  work.  A  military  and 
political  leader  is  wanted,  a  man  fitted  to  carry  the  weight 
of  authority  in  the  colony,  to  unite  its  parties,  to  assign  to 
each  his  place,  to  attract  a  large  number  of  persons  o£  all 
classes,  and  carry  them  along  with  him,  not  courtiers,  but 
brave,  efficient,  and  well-educated  officers,  who  confide  in 
their  superior,  and  repose  implicit  faith  in  him.  There  need 
not  be  many  grades  of  a  higher  order ;  but  there  is  need  of 
some,  because  the  corps  and  the  country  are  separate  from 
each  other.  Not  but  that  there  is  room  enough  for  a  num- 
ber of  persons,  from  among  whom  a  selection  may  be  made. 
The  main  point  of  the  mission  with  which  you  have  been 
intrusted  will,  therefore,  consist  in  explaining  the  advantage, 
or,  rather,  the  absolute  necessity  of  the  choice  of  a  man, 
who  would  have  to  be  invested  with  the  power  of  bringing 
his  assistants  with  him,  and  of  assigning  to  each  the  position 
for  which  he  should  judge  him  to  be  fitted.  The  rank  of 
the  candidate  would  have  to  be  of  the  first  eminence,  such, 
for  instance,  as  that  of  the  Prince  of  Nassau ;  his  functions, 
however,  would  have  to  be  confined  to  the  army,  excluding 
the  civil  service,  with,  perhaps,  the  single  exception  of  the 
political  negotiations  with  foreign  powers.  In  proposing 
such  a  man,  you  must,  of  course,  not  appear  to  know 
whether  he  entertains  any  wish  for  such  a  position ;  but,  at 
the  same  time,  you  must  intimate  that  nothing  but  the  most 
favorable  stipulations  would  induce  him  to  make  the  sacri- 
fices expected  of  him.  You  would  have  to  observe  that 
three  years  would  be  the  longest  period  for  which  he  could 
possibly  bind  himself,  that  he  would  claim  a  fixed  salary,  to 
continue  after  the  expiration  of  that  period  of  service,  and 
that  on  no  account  would  he  consent  to  expatriate  himself 


96  LIFE    OF    K  ALB. 

for  ever.  What  should  make  you  particularly  explicit  or 
this  point  is,  that  the  assurance  of  the  man's  return  to 
France  at  the  end  of  three  years  will  remove  every  appre- 
hension in  regard  to  the  powers  to  be  conferred,  and  will 
remove  even  the  semblance  of  an  ambitious  design  to  be- 
come the  sovereign  of  the  new  republic. 

"You  will,  therefore,  content  yourself  with  stipulating 
for  a  military  authority  for  the  person  in  question,  who 
would  unite  the  position  of  a  general  and  president  of  the 
council  of  war  with  the  title  of  generalissimo,  field  mar- 
shall,  etc. 

"  Of  course  large  pecuniary  considerations  would  have  to 
be  claimed  for  the  preparations  for  the  journey,  and  for  the 
journey  itself,  and  a  liberal  salary  for  the  return  home,  much  in 
the  same  manner  as  has  been  done  in  the  case  of  Prince  Fer- 
dinand. You  can  give  the  assurance  that  such  a  measure 
will  bring  order  and  economy  into  the  public  expenses,  that 
it  will  reimburse  its  cost  a  hundred-fold  in  a  single  campaign, 
and  that  the  choice  of  officers  who  follow  their  leader  at  his 
word,  and  from  attachment  to  his  person,  is  worth  more  than 
the  reenforcement  of  the  array  with  ten  or  twenty  thousand 
men.  You  well  know  the  persons  who  adhere  to  this  leader 
and  the  unlimited  number  of  subaltern. ;  you  know  that  they 
are  not  courtiers,  but  excellent  and  well-tried  soldiers ;  you 
know  better  than  others,  the  great  difference  between  the 
one  candidate  and  the  other,  and  will  lay  particular  stress 
upon  this  point.  You  will  be  equally  mindful  to  dwell  upon 
the  effect  necessarily  produced  by  such  an  appointment  on 
its  mere  anouncement  in  Europe.  Even  in  a  good  European 
army  everything  depends  upon  the  selection  of  a  good  com- 
mander-in-chief ;  how  much  more  in  a  cause  where  everything 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  97 

has  yet  to  be  created  and  adjusted !  It  is  not  easy  to  find  a 
man  qualified  for  such  a  task,  and  at  the  same  time  willing  to 
undertake  it.  If  matters  down  there — "  la  bas  "—should  turn 
out  well,  you  should  induce  Congress  immediately  to  send 
little  Dubois  back  to  Mr.  Deane  with  full  powers  and  direc- 
tions. These  powers  should  be  limited  in  no  respect,  except 
in  so  far  as  to  remove  all  danger  of  a  too  extensive  exercise 
of  the  civil  authority,  or  of  ambitious  schemes  for  dominion 
over  the  republic.  The  desire  is  to  be  useful  to  the  republic 
in  a  political  and  military  way,  but  with  all  the  appropriate 
honors, dignities,  and  powers  over  subordinate  functionaries; 
in  short,  with  a  well-ordered  power. 

"  If  you  send  back  little  Dubois,  advise  me  at  the  same 
time  of  the  true  condition  of  affairs  and  of  the  state  of  public 
feeling,  adding  your  suggestions  of  what  is  best  to  be  done. 
Also  inform  me  of  the  nature  of  the  power  conferred  upon 
the  agents  of  the  insurgents.  Farewell !  I  wish  you  and 
your  caravan  a  pleasant  journey.  I  shall  execute  your  com- 
missions, and  shall  see  M.  de  Sartiges  when  I  get  to  Paris. 

"  Acquaint  me  with  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  and  with 
the  moment  of  your  departure,  and  write  to  me  under  the 
direction  of  the  Abbe  St.  Evrar  !,  at  the  bureau  of  M.  St.  Ju- 
lien,  treasurer  general  of  the  clergy.  I  leave  this  unsigned. 
You  know  who  I  am." 

In  anticipation  of  our  narrative,  we  may  here  remark  that, 
very  soon  after  arriving  in  America,  Kalb  was  convinced  of 
the  utter  impracticability  of  de  Broglie's  projects,  and  buried 
them  among  his  papers.  When  this  last  letter  came  to  his 
hands,  the  expedition  to  America  was  scattered  to  the  winds. 
Some  of  the  officers  quietly  embarked  for  the  United  States 
at  L'Orient  and  Nantes,  others  did  not  go  at  all,  while  Kalb 


98 


LIFE     OF    KALI?. 


and  his  companions  returned  to  Paris  for  the  present,  in 
the  closing  days  of  the  year  1776,  not  to  renounce  his  plans, 
but  to  prosecute  them  with  more  mature  preparation  and 
better  success. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

KALB  AND  LAFAYETTE  REVIVE  THEIR  PROJECT.  —  THE  LATTER  RESOLVES  TO 
PURCHASE  A  SHIP  AT  BORDEAUX.  —  REASONS  FOR  THE  CHOICE  OF  BORDEAUX. 

—  DCBOIS  MARTIN  THE  GO-BETWEEN.  —  THE  SHIP  LA  VICTOIRE  SELECTED. 

—  LAFAYETTE  RETURNS  FROM  ENGLAND  TO  PARIS.  —  CONCEALS  HIMSELF  IN 
KALE'S  HOUSE.  —  BOTH  SET  OUT  FOR  BORDEAUX  ON  THE  16iH  OF  MARCH, 
1777.  —  LAFAYETTE'S  FAMILY,  NOT  THE  GOVERNMENT,  OPPOSED  TO  HIM.  — 
ATTITUDE  OF  THE  FRENCH  CABINET  AS  RESPECTS  AMERICA.  —  KALB  TO  His 
WIFE  ON  THE  DIFFICULTIES  CAUSED  BY  LAFAYETTE.  —  THE  VICTOIRE  LEAVES 
FRANCE  UNHINDERED.  —  SHE  SAILS  TO  Los  PASAGES  IN  SPAIN.  —  LAFAYETTE 
YIELDS  TO  THE  ORDERS  OF  THE  COURT.  —  HE  GOES  BACK  TO  BORDEAUX.  — 
KALB  NETTLED  AT  THE  BLUNDERS.  —  LAFAYETTE  RETURNS.  —  THE  VICTOIRE 
SAILS  FOR  AMERICA  ON  THE  20TH  OF  APRIL.  —  THE  COMPANY.  —  ERROR  OF 
THE  HISTORIAN  SPARKS  IN  REGARD  TO  LAFAYETTE'S  POSITION  AS  RESPECTS 
KALB.  —  ARRIVAL  IN  SOUTH  CAROLINA.  —  VISIT  TO  MAJOR  HUEGER.  —  RIDE 
TO  CHARLESTON.  —  THENCE  TO  PHILADELPHIA.  —  COOL  RECEPTION  ON  THE 
PART  OF  CONGRESS.  —  THE  Du  COUDRAY  DIFFICULTY.  —  JEALOUSY  OF  THE 
NATIVE  OFFICERS.  —  NEW  THREATS.  —  Du  COUDRAY  RETIRES.  —  LAFAYETTE 
FIRST  APPOINTED.  —  REASONS  FOR  THIS  PREFERENCE.  —  KALE'S  SATISFAC- 
TION AT  LAFAYETTE'S  PROGRESS.  —  KALE'S  LETTER  OF  AUGUST  1,  1777, 
TO  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  CONGRESS.  —  His  WELL-FOUNDED  COMPLAINTS.  —  EM- 
BARRASSMENT OF  CONGRESS.  —  KALE  RESOLVES  TO  RETURN  TO  FRANCE  WITH 
His  COMPANY.  —  SUBSEQUENTLY  CONGRESS  RESOLVES  TO  APPOINT  HIM  A 
MAJOR-GENERAL.  —  KALB  HESITATES,  BUT  FINALLY  CONCLUDES  TO  STAY.  — 
His  TERMS  ACCEPTED  IN  PART.  —  His  SENIORITY.  —  HE  SETS  OUT  ON  THE 

OF  OCTOBER  TO  JOIN  THE  ARMY. 


F  all  Kalb's  friends  and  companions  none  bad  more  ar- 
dently  sustained  the  expedition  to  America  than  Lafay- 
ette. He  too,  found  his  cherished  hopes  and  aspirations 
blasted  by  the  prohibitory  order  of  the  French  Government, 
yet  he  clung  to  his  design,  and  staked  everything  upon  its 


100  LIFEOFKALB. 

execution.  The  first  call  made  by  him  in  company  with 
Kalb,  who  had  returned  in  the  mean  time,  was  to  the  Comte 
de  Broglie  at  Ruffec,  and  his  private  secretary,  Dubois  Mar- 
tin. Both  agreed  that  the  voyage  to  America  must  be  made 
in  spite  of  all  obstacles,  urged  that  it  be  immediately  under- 
taken, and  discussed  with  Kalb  and  Lafayette  the  measures 
required  to  promote  the  common  enterprise.  The  result  of 
their  transactions,  which  occupied  but  a  few  days,  was,  that 
Lafayette  resolved  to  purchase  and  freight  a  ship,  and  to  em- 
bark upon  it  at  once  for  America,  with  Kalb  and  his  other 
friends. 

In  preparing  for  this  step,  the  utmost  secrecy  was  the  more 
essential,  as  the  English  ambassador  had  his  spies  everywhere 
in  Paris  and  the  northern  seaports,  and  as  a  word  from  him 
must  infallibly  lead  to  an  interdict  of  the  expedition,  if  not  to 
the  arrest  of  those  concerned.  A  go-between  was  needed  to 
effect  the  purchase  and  equipment  of  the  vessel,  without  at- 
tracting public  attention.  For  this  purpose  the  choice  of  the 
party  fell  upon  a  brother  of  the  Dubois  before  mentioned, 
Lieutenant  Fran9ois  Auguste  Dubois  Martin,  designated  by 
de  Broglie  as  "  Little  Dubois,"  who  was  attached  to  a  French 
infantry  regiment  at  Port-au-Prince,  whence  he  had  come  to 
the  mother  country  in  1776,  to  purchase  arms  and  uniforms 
for  his  regiment.  After  executing  that  commission  at  Bor- 
deaux, he  had  gone  to  Paris  at  the  close  of  the  same  year,  in 
order  to  bid  farewell  to  his  brother  before  returning  to  St. 
Domingo;  he  arrived  just  as  the  first  American  expedition 
was  being  formed.  At  the  recommendation  of  his  brother  he 
had  been  admitted  to  the  train  with  che  rank  of  Major,  and 
was  on  the  point  of  embarking  with  Kalb  at  Havre,  when  the 
ministerial  prohibition  fjrce  him  to  return  to  Paris.  He  re- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  101 

sumed  his  intention  to  return  to  St.  Domingo ;  but  on  the  eve 
of  his  intended  departure  he  was  informed  by  his  brother  that 
the  resolution  to  purchase  a  vessel  had  been  formed  that  same 
evening,  and  was  requested  to  go  to  Bordeaux  and  make  the 
necessary  arrangements.  Bordeaux,  on  .account  of  its  remote 
position,  did  not  attract  the  attention  of  the  Government  or 
of  Lord  Stormond,  and  therefore  appeared  the  most  suitable 
harbor.  As  Dubois  had  the  necessary  acquaintances  there, 
and  had  already  been  engaged  there  in  a  similar  business  on 
account  of  his  regiment,  he  was  perhaps  the  best  qualified  of 
all  men  to  accomplish  so  difficult  an  undertaking  without  ex- 
citing any  suspicion.  He  therefore  immediately  set  out  for 
Bordeaux,  and  soon  concluded  a  bargain  with  the  firm  of 
Recules  de  Basmarins  Rainbaux  et  Cie.  The  vessel,  la  Vic- 
toire,  Captain  Le  Boursier,  was  bought  by  him,  with  its  cargo 
and  accoutrements,  for  112,000  francs,  one-fourth  of  which 
Lafayette  was  to  pay  in  cash,  and  the  balance  in  the  course 
of  fifteen  months  from  the  day  of  delivery,  which  was  in  the 
middle  of  March,  1777. 

Lafayette,  who  had  employed  the  interval  between  the 
purchase  of  the  ship  and  its  readiness  for  sea,  in  a  trip  to  Eng- 
land, returned  to  Paris  on  the  12th  of  March,  and  lay  con- 
cealed for  three  days  at  Kalb's  house  in  Chaillot,  then  a  sub- 
urb, now  a  quarter  of  Paris  situated  between  the  Seine  and 
the  west  end  of  the  Elysian  Fields,  where  the  final  arrange- 
ments were  perfected  with  the  American  envoy  and  other 
friends  of  the  enterprise.  On  the  evening  of  the  16th  of 
March,  Kalb  and  Lafayette  took  post  to  Bordeaux,  and  arrived 
there  after  a  three  days'  journey,  on  the  19th. 

In  consequence  of  the  memoirs  written  by  Lafayette  in 
\ater  years,  and  of  the  account  given  by  Jared  Sparks  in  the 


102  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

appendix  to  the  fifth  volume  of  Washington's  Writings  of  the 
obstacles  interposed  to  the  journey  ofi  Kalb  and  Lafayette, 
the  belief  has  become  pretty  general  that  the  French  Govern- 
ment had  interfered,  for  political  reasons,  to  prevent  the 
journey  from  being  attempted,  and  that  a  mountain  of  diffi- 
culties had  to  be  surmounted  before  the  Victoire  could  weigh 
her  anchors.  A  due  regard  for  the  truth  of  history  requires 
us  to  cut  down  such  romantic  exaggerations  to  their  legiti- 
mate proportions.  The  ministers,  instead  of  opposing,  connived 
at  the  journey  of  Kalb  and  Lafayette,  so  far  as  their  position 
allowed  them  to  do  so.  Lafayette  says  as  much  himself,  when, 
in  the  year  1800,  he  writes  to  Madame  Geymueller,  the 
daughter  of  his  friend,"  "  His  [Kalb's]  departure  was  favored 
by  the  Comte  de  Broglie,  and  secretly  sanctioned  by  the 
French  Government."  What  is  true  of  Kalb  must  apply  to 
Lafayette,  for  they  travelled  together. 

Even  after  interdicting  the  projected  Havre  expedition, 
the  ministry  had  raised  no  objections  to  the  preparations 
making  by  the  young  nobility  for  their  journey  across  the 
Atlantic,  and  participation  in  the  war,  contenting  themselves, 
when  interrogated,  with  expressions  of  official  disapproval, 
intended  for  the  ear  of  the  English  ambassador,  but  not  fol- 
lowed up  with  any  active  measures.  Of  course  they  could 
not  give  their  official  benison  to  those  lords  who  undertook 
to  create  a  sensation  by  asking  for  express  permission  to  go 
to  America.  "This  folly  "  (of  going  to  America),  thus  Ver- 
gennes  defines  his  course  toward  Lafayette  in  the  beginning 
of  April,  1777,"  "  has  turned  the  heads  of  our  young  men  to 
a  degree  that  you  would  scarcely  credit.  Numerous  applica- 
tions are  made  to  me  on  this  score.  Those  who  are  absolutely 
masters  of  their  own  actions  I  answer  by  telling  them  they 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  103 

can  do  as  they  please.  Those  who  ask  my  advice  I  dissuade 
from  going ;  those  who  ask  my  orders,  are  commanded  to  re- 
main." That  the  intentions  of  Kalb  and  Lafayette  were  like- 
wise a  public  secret,  is  proved  by  the  manifold  offers  of  service 
still  to  be  found  among  the  papers  of  the  former,  coming  from 
officers  of  every  grade  in  every  part  of  the  country. 

Politically  speaking,  neither  of  the  travellers  was  embar- 
rassed ;  but  family  matters  long  kept  Lafayette  in  suspense,  and 
even  induced  him  to  make  a  supererogatory  trip  back  to 
France,  after  he  had  safely  reached  the  Spanish  harbor  of  Los 
Pasages.  The  Due  d'Ayen  was  averse  to  the  enterprise  of 
his  son-in-law,  and,  failing  to  prevail  upon  him  to  renounce  it, 
procured  a  secret  order  of  the  king,  commanding  him  to  ac- 
company his  family  on  a  journey  to  Italy.  Even  the  ladies  of 
Paris  made  light  of  the  attempt  to  obstruct  the  noble  and 
high-minded  undertaking  of  the  marquis.  "  If  the  Due 
d'Ayen,"  said  one  of  them,  "  will  thwart  such  a  son-in-law  in 
such  a  project,  he  cannot  expect  to  marry  his  other  daugh- 
ters." How  little  politics  had  to  do  with  the  postponement 
of  the  journey  further  appears  from  the  letters  written  by 
Kalb  to  his  wife  during  his  enforced  stay  at  Bordeaux  and 
Los  Pasages,  which,  as  he  had  a  surplus  of  leisure  time,  detail 
the  most  trivial  occurrences  of  each  day,  and  are  the  surest 
guide  in  arriving  at  an  understanding  of  the  true  state  of 
affairs.  "  There  is  still  a  possibility,"  he  writes,  on  the  20th  of 
March,  1777,  a  few  days  after  his  arrival  in  Bordeaux,  "that 
our  departure  may  be  prevented.  I  tind  so  many  matters 
still  to  be  arranged,  that  the  minister  will  receive  notice  of 
the  journey  of  the  marquis  in  time  for  his  prohibitory  order 
to  arrive  before  we  go  to  sea.  Notwithstanding  the  ardor 
with  which  we  are  at  work,  nothing  is  more  uncertain  than 


104  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

this  voyage.  At  this  moment  a  courier  has  been  despatched 
to  ascertain  the  effect  produced  by  the  news  of  our  proceed- 
ings, and  to  prevent  an  interdict  from  issuing."  "  We  are 
still  ignorant,"  he  continues  on  the  23d  of  March,  "  whether 
our  departure  will  not  be  prevented,  as  our  vessel,  so  long  de- 
tained already,  cannot  go  out  into  the  stream  before  to- 
morrow. When  the  wind  will  turn  God  only  knows." 

It  was  on  the  night  of  the  25th  of  March  that  Kalb  and 
Lafayette  went  on  board  the  Victoire,  and  on  the  26th  they 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Garonne.  From  this  place  the 
latter  writes  at  noon  of  the  26th,  on  the  very  eve  of  stand- 
ing out  to  sea,  "  In  two  hours  we  shall  be  in  the  open  sea. 
We  are  weighing  anchor  in  the  most  glorious  weather.  I 
shall  certainly  write  you  again  before  my  arrival  in  America, 
because  we  have  yet  to  enter  a  European  port,  and  shall  prob- 
ably wait  at  St.  Sebastian  for  the  return  of  a  courier  sent 
to  Paris."  Accordingly,  the  Victoire  first  took  a  southerly 
course  to  Los  Pasages,  a  little  port  in  the  bay  of  St.  Sebas- 
tian, in  Spain,  and  arrived  there  on  the  28th  of  March.  "  It 
will  not  be  necessary,"  Kalb  writes  again  on  the  1st  of 
April,  1777,  "to  wait  here  for  the  return  of  the  courier  sent 
to  Paris,  because  another  has  been  sent  to  us  from  Bordeaux, 
who  came  here  yesterday.  He  brought  the  orders  of  the 
court  commanding  the  marquis  to  repair  to  Toulon,  there  to 
expect  the  arrival  of  the  Due  d'Ayen,  and  of  the  Countess  de 
Tesse,  his  sister,  and  to  travel  with  them  to  Italy.  This  is 
the  end  of  his  expedition  to  America,  to  join  the  army  of 
the  insurgents.  He  is  at  this  moment  leaving  for  Bordeaux, 
whence,  if  possible,  he  will  proceed  to  Paris,  being  loath  to 
go  to  Italy.  I  am  now  obliged  to  wait  for  the  courier  whom 
La!ayette  is  to  send  me,  either  from  Bordeaux,  if,  on  obtain- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  105 

ing,  from  the  commandant  of  that  place,  more  satisfactory 
information  of  the  king's  commands,  he  finds  it  necessary  to 
abandon  the  journey,  or  from  Paris,  if  he  is  permitted  to  go 
there,  and  then  fails  in  securing  the  consent  of  the  Due 
d'Ayen  to  his  proceeding.  Time  will  hang  heavy  on  my  hands 
here  in  the  mean  time.  I  do  not  believe  he  will  be  able  to 
rejoin  me,  and  have  advised  him  to  compromise  with  the 
owner  of  the  ship  at  a  sacrifice  of  twenty  or  twenty-five 
thousand  francs." 

Thus  Lafayette  quitted  the  Spanish  territory,  where  no- 
body molested  him,  and  where  his  own  Government  could 
not  have  followed  him  if  they  had  wished,  and  returned  to 
France  of  his  own  accord,  to  enter  once  more  upon  the  ar- 
rangement of  his  family  affairs.  He  certainly  might  have 
gone  forward  at  once.  Kalb  does  not  speak  very  favorably 
of  the  course  he  was  pursuing.  "  I  had  flattered  myself,"  he 
writes  once  more  on  the  6th  of  April,  from  Los  Pasages, 
"  with  the  hope  of  receiving  news  from  the  marquis  from 
Bordeaux  last  evening.  If  they  do  not  arrive  to-day  or  to- 
morrow our  stay  here  will  be  a  very  long  one,  as  in  that 
case  he  will  not  write  until  he  gets  to  Paris,  for  certainly 
neither  M.  de  Maurepas  nor  the  Due  d'Ayen  will  permit  him 
to  rejoin  us.  If  the  marquis  has  not  already  got  a  bargain 
with  the  ship's  owner,  his  blunders  will  cost  him  dear.  I 
call  them  blunders,  for  his  course  was  silly  from  the  moment 
he  could  not  make  up  his  mind  quietly  to  execute  his  pro- 
ject, undisturbed  by  threats.  It  was  the  letter  of  the 
Vicomte  de  Coigny,  received  by  the  courier  sent  to  him  on 
his  return  to  Bordeaux,  which  produced  this  sudden  change 
of  purpose.  If  that  letter  had  not  found  him  already  in  the 
boat  which  was  to  carry  us  on  board  our  vessel,  I  believe 
5* 


106  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Lafayette  would  have  returned  at  once,  and,  in  my  opinion, 
he  would  have  acted  properly.  When  he  asked  my  advice 
about  what  he  should  do,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  dissuade 
him  from  disregarding  the  wishes  of  his  father-in-law  and 
the  commands  of  the  king.  On  the  contrary,  I  advised  him 
to  give  way  to  his  family,  and  to  avoid  a  rupture  with  them. 
Had  he  not  constantly  flattered  himself  that  he  had  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Due  d'Ayen,  I  would  always  have  warned  him 
not  to  go  so  far  as  he  went.  He  had  always  assured  me  that 
his  family  sanctioned  his  plans,  that  his  father-in-law  himself 
intended  at  some  time  to  go  to  America  with  the  Vicomte  de 
Noailles,  and  that  even  Madame  Lafayette  had  been  made 
acquainted  with  his  intentions  by  her  -  parents,  and  would 
approve  of  them.  I  have  always  thought  him  to  blame  for 
keeping  the  matter  secret  from  his  wife  until  the  moment  of 
his  departure.  Had  he  told  me  in  Paris  all  that  he  has  ad- 
mitted since,  I  would  have  remonstrated  most  earnestly 
against  the  whole  scheme.  As  it  is,  the  affair  will  cost  him 
some  money.  But  if  it  be  said  that  he  has  done  a  foolish 
thing,  it  may  be  answered  that  he  acted  from  the  most  hon- 
orable motives,  and  that  he  can  hold  up  his  head  before  all 
high-minded  men." 

"The  reasons  which  drove  us  to  enter  this  port,"  says 
Kalb  in  his  letter  of  April  6th,  "  still  detain  us  here,  for  we 
must  have  the  permission  of  the  marquis,  or  of  the  owner 
of  the  vessel,  for  proceeding  on  our  voyage.  By  a  letter  of 
Messrs.  Rainbaux  &  Cie  I  learn  that  he  reached  Bordeaux 
on  the  3d,  and  immediately  sent  a  courier  to  Paris,  whose 
return  he  is  awaiting.  This  shows  that  he  is  reluctant  to 
abandon  his  project  and  his  vessel,  and  still  hopes  to  obtain 
the  consent  of  his  family  and  of  M.  de  Maurepas.  I  hardly 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  107 

think  he  will  succeed.  It  will  not  be  before  the  llth  that  I 
shall  know  what  to  expect,  even  if  Lafayette  should  receive 
nn  immediate  answer  from  Paris.  This  long  delay  is  intoler- 
erable.  I  shall  be  too  late  for  the  opening  of  the  campaign, 
and  am  so  much  the  more  mortified  as  Mr.  Deane  offered  mo 
a  passage  in  one  of  his  ships.  Should  the  matter  be  still 
longer  protracted,  I  shall  either  return  to  Paris,  or  betake 
myself  to  the  Isle  of  Re  or  Nantes,  to  wait  for  news  from 
Deane." 

"At  this  moment,"  continues  Kalb  on  the  12th  of  April, 
"  the  post  brings  me  a  letter  from  the  marquis  dated  the  5th, 
at  Bordeaux.  He  says  that  he  was  refused  permission  to 
proceed,  and  that  he  fears  being  compelled  to  go  to  Toulon. 
He  is  now  waiting  for  the  return  of  his  courier  sent  to  Paris, 
and  will  at  once  inform  me  of  the  answer  he  receives." 
"  The  marquis  writes  from  Bordeaux,  under  date  of  the  12th 
inst.,"  Kalb  goes  on  to  say  on  the  15th,  "that  he  was  on  the 
point  of  leaving  for  Marseilles,  where  the  royal  order  re- 
quires him  to  report  himself  to-day.  He  says  that  the  court 
devotes  great  attention  to  this  affair  of  his,  but  he  still  hopes 
to  gain  over  the  Due  d'Ayen,  so  as  to  be  at  liberty  to  rejoin 
me.  He  therefore  requests  me  not  to  sail  before  receiving 
another  letter  from  him  from  Toulon  or  some  other  point. 
If  I  am  to  wait  until  he  gets  to  Marseilles,  I  shall  have  to 
remain  here  until  the  26th.  Lafayette's  letter  shows  that 
the  ship  is  still  held  in  his  name.  He  requests  me  to  have  an 
eye  to  his  interests,  and  to  see  that  his  investment  is  realized 
as  soon  as  possible." 

"  At  this  moment,"  Kalb  finally  writes  on  the  1 7th  of 
April,  "  the  marquis  has  arrived,  and  is  prepared  to  set  out 
with  us  in  a  day  or  two.  He  came  to  this  conclusion  by 


108  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

receiving  assurances  from  every  one  in  Paris,  that  none  othei 
than  the  Due  d'Ayen  had  procured  the  royal  order,  that  all 
the  world  is  in  favor  of  Lafayette's  enterprise  and  sorely  dis- 
satisfied with  his  father-in-law  for  having  obstructed  his 
course,  and  that,  finally,  the  ministers,  on  being  asked  their 
real  sentiments  in  the  matter,  had  answered  that  they  would 
have  said  nothing  at  all  but  for  the  complaints  of  the  Due 
d'Ayen.  We  have  therefore  resolved  to  steer  for  our 
destined  port,  if  no  unforeseen  obstacle  intervenes.  This  is 
the  last  letter  I  shall  write  you,  if  not  from  Europe,  at  least 
from  this  harbor." 

The  Victoire  actually  sailed  from  Los  Pasages  on  Sunday 
the  20th  of  April,  in  charge  of  Captain  Le  Boursier.  Kalb 
and  Lafayette  were  accompanied  by  the  Vicomte  de  Mauroy, 
who  had  also  received  the  commission  of  a  major  general 
from  Deane,  of  Colonels  Delesser  and  Valfort,  Lieutenant- 
colonels  de  Fayolles  and  Franval,  Majors  Dubuysson  and 
de  Gimat,  the  adjutants  of  Kalb  and  Lafayette,  and  Dubois 
Martin,  of  Captains  de  Vrigny,  de  Bedaulx,  and  de  la  Colombe, 
and  of  the  American  Brice  who  had  joined  the  cortege  at 
Deane's  recommendation,  and  who  is  praised  by  Kalb  as  an 
excellent  and  amiable  young  man.  Of  the  French  officers 
three  had  taken  their  discharge,  while  nine  were  still  in  active 
service.*7  If  Sparks,  in  the  nppendix  to  his  Writings  of 
Washington,  says  that  Kalb  and  eleven  other  officers  con- 
stituted Lafayette's  suite,  the  statement,  so  far  as  Kalb  is 
concerned,  is  not  only  incorrect,  but  grows  out  of  an  entire 
misconception  of  European  habits  and  customs  in  reference 
to  matters  of  rank  and  title.38  An  old  soldier  like  Kalb, 
leaving  France  as  a  brigadier-general,  will  not  place  himself 
unde:  the  orders  of  a  lieutenant  of  nineteen ;  and  the  latter,  in 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  109 

so  well-ordered  a  military  hierarchy  as  that  of  the  French 
army,  will  never  dream  of  expecting  anything  of  the  kind. 
Moreover,  the  social  standing  of  the  two  men  was  entirely 
equal,  Lafayette  being,  at  most,  the  superior  in  point  of 
wealth  only,  while  on  the  other  hand  the  Comte  de  Broglie 
had  placed  his  young  friend  under  Kalb's  guardianship. 
Again,  if  the  American  standard  be  applied,  it  will  be  re- 
membered that  Kalb  as  well  as  Lafayette  ha!  the  promise 
of  a  major-general's  commission  from  Dcane,  Kalb's  seniority 
to  date  from  the  7th  of  November,  1776,  while  that  of  La- 
fayette was  of  the  7th  of  December,  for  the  express  purpose 
of  making  the  former  outrank  the  latter.  Kalb  as  the  senior 
officer  and  Lafayette  as  the  owner  of  the  ship,  were  undoubt- 
edly the  leading  men  of  the  enterprise,  as  is  stated  by  the 
former  himself  in  his  letter  to  his  wife  of  the  6th  of  April, 
1777. 

After  a  long  voyage  of  forty-five  days,  without  any 
accident  or  noticeable  adventure,  the  Victoire  made  South 
Inlet  in  the  bay  of  Georgetown  on  the  13th  of  June,  1777. 
The  spot  is  in  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  about  half  a 
degree  north  of  Charleston,  and  is  now  marked  on  the  map, 
in  honor  of  our  travellers,  by  two  hamlets,  Kalb  and  La 
Grange  (Lafayette's  -country-seat).  At  first  the  captain 
himself  could  not  tell  where  they  were.  Kalb,  Lafayette, 
and  Brice  therefore  mounted  a  boat  with  seven  sailors  and 
pulled  on  shore  to  look  for  a  pilot.  In  the  bay  they  met 
with  two  or  three  ignorant  negro  oyster  fishermen,  who  were 
unable  to  give  any  coherent  account  of  the  locality,  but 
could  only  say  that  they  belonged  to  a  major  in  the  provin- 
cial force,  and  that  the  coast  was  rendered  insecure  by 
hostile  cruisers.  Kalb  and  his  comrades  quitted  their  own 


110  LIFE     OF    KALB, 

boat,  and  directed  the  slaves  to  convey  them  to  their  master. 
It  was  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  before  they  reached  the 
plantation.  Their  host  was  Major  Hueger,  of  German 
descent,  a  man  highly  esteemed  in  the  colonies,  and  the 
father  of  the  same  Hueger  who  subsequently  figured  so 
largely  in  Lafayette's  unsuccessful  effort  to  escape  from  the 
prisons  of  Olmutz.  He  received  the  strangers  hospitably, 
informed  them  of  tlje  state  of  public  affairs,  and,  after  having 
offered  them  refreshment,  furnished  them  with  horses,  on 
which,  two  or  three  days  afterward,  they  rode  to  Charleston, 
arriving  there  in  a  scorching  heat  on  the  17th  of  June.  The 
Victoire,  which  drew  too  much  water  for  Georgetown  Bay, 
meanwhile  threaded  her  way  in  safety  through  the  English 
cruisers,  and  reached  Charleston  the  same  day  with  Kalb 
and  Lafayette.  Here  they  sold  their  cargo  to  great  advan- 
tage, so  that  the  latter  was  handsomely  repaid  for  his  risks 
and  outlay." 

The  preparations  for  the  overland  journey  north  occupied 
full  ten  days.  Kalb,  Lafayette,  Dubuysson,  Gimat,  Bedaulx, 
and  Brice,  set  out  on  the  27th  of  June.  As  the  heat  of  the 
weather  compelled  them  to  make  short  stages,  they  were 
more  than  a  month  in  getting  to  Philadelphia,  where  Con- 
gress was  then  sitting.  On  the  18th  of  July  they  reached 
Petersburg,  Virginia,  and  on  the  23d  of  the  same  month, 
Annapolis.  Here  Kalb  and  Lafayette  alone  arrived  in  good 
health ;  they  therefore  left  their  companions  behind,  and 
entered  Philadelphia  on  the  27th  of  July. 

On  presenting  themselves  to  the  President  of  Congress 
on  the  following  day  they  were  received  with  great  coolness, 
and  referred  to  Lovell,  the  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Foreign  Affairs,  to  whom  they  handed  their  letters  and  to- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  Ill 

commendations.  He  informed  them,  to  their  great  astonish- 
ment, that  Congress  refused  to  ratify  the  contracts  and 
appointments  made  by  Deane.40  The  latter  was  accused  of 
having  transgressed  his  powers,  not  having  been  authorized 
to  fill  the  highest  positions  in  the  army  with  men  of  his  choice. 
The  American  generals  had.  been  greatly  incensed  at  the 
claims  recently  preferred  by  du  Coudray,  and  had  threatened 
to  resign  in  a  body  if  ever  again  visited  with  similar  en- 
croachments upon  their  vested  rights. 

Du  Coudray,  having  reached  Philadelphia  a  few  weeks 
previous  to  Kalb,  and  presuming  upon  the  services  rendered 
by  him  to  the  American  cause  in  France,  as  well  as  upon  the 
bargain  concluded  with  Deane,  had  claimed  in  addition  to 
the  rank  of  a  major-general,  not  only  the  command  of  the 
artillery,  but  also  that  of  the  engineers.  A  cry  of  indigna- 
tion at  the  pretension  of  the  foreigner  arose  in  the  army. 
Brigadier-General  Knox,  being  himself  in  the  command  of 
the  artillery,  and  therefore  most  immediately  threatened, 
was  particularly  hostile.  Although  Steuben  declares41  that 
at  the  time  Knox  had  not  an  idea  of  the  manner  in  which 
a  field-piece  should  be  handled  on  the  advance  or  in  retreat, 
of  course  he  never  thought  of  treating  that  as  a  reason  for 
resigning  his  position  to  a  foreigner.  He  gained  over  Gen- 
erals Greene  and  Sullivan,  and  the  threes  tendered  their 
resignation  on  the  rumor  that  du  Coudray's  demands  had 
been  complied  with.  Congress  rebuked  the  menace  "  as  an 
interference  with  their  rights,  and  an  insinuation  of  want  of 
confidence  in  their  sense  of  justice,  and  exacted  an  apology 
upon  declining  to  accept  the  resignations ;  but,  on  the  15th 
of  July,  1777,  they  also  disavowed  the  agreement  made  be- 
tween Deane  and  du  Coudray,43  and  endeavored  to  conciliate 


112  LIFE     OF    K  ALB. 

both  parties  by  bestowing  on  the  latter  the  rank  of  major- 
general,  on  the  llth  of  August,44  together  with  the  position 
of  Inspector-General  of  Ordnance.  Du  Coudray,  although 
clearly  in  the  right,  had  the  good  sense  to  acquiesce  in  this 
arrangement,  seeing  that  it  implied  only  an  indirect  refusal 
of  his  services,  the  more  so  as  the  functions  of  his  office 
were  never  defined ;  he  therefore  applied  for  permission, 
shortly  before  the  battle  of  Brandy  wine,  to  join  the  army  as 
a  volunteer,  with  the  rank  of  a  captain,46  but  was  drowned 
on  the  way  thither  on  the  16th  of  September,  in  the  Schuyl- 
kill,  and  thus  disappears  entirely  from  the  stage. 

Kalb  and  Lafayette,  with  their  comrades,  were  so  unfor- 
tunate as  to  make  their  appearance  during  the  pendency  of 
this  imbroglio.  Here  were  thirteen  foreign  officers  calling  for 
appointments,  three  of  them,  Kalb,  Lafayette,  and  Mauroy, 
with  the  rank  of  major-generals.  The  objection  raised 
against  du  Coudray  applied  with  increased  force  to  the  new 
comers,  none  the  less  that  they  also  had  undeniable  rights  to 
the  performance  of  the  stipulations  entered  into  with  Deane. 
Congress  thought  the  best  means  of  disembarrassing  them- 
selves consisted  in  repudiating  every  claim  presented  by  Kalb 
and  his  friends.  Lafayette  was  the  first  to  extricate  himself. 
What  made  his  case  the  strongest  was  the  private  letter  of 
Deane  and  Franklin  to  Congress,  dated  the  25th  of  May,  1717, 
in  which  they  say 48  "  that  the  marquis,  a  young  nobleman  of 
great  family  connections  and  great  wealth,  desired  to  serve 
our  armies,  and  that  the  civilities  and  respect  that  might  be 
shown  to  him  would  be  serviceable  to  our  affairs  in  France,  as 
pleasing  not  only  to  his  powerful  relations  and  to  the  court, 
but  to  the  whole  French  nation."  Resting  upon  this  advocacy 
of  his  service,  Lafayette  at  once  declared  his  readiness  to 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  113 

enter  the  army  as  a  volunteer,  and  without  any  claim  to  pay 
or  pension.  In  view  of  such  prospects  in  Europe  and  such 
advantageous  offers  in  America,  Congress  did  not  hesitate 
long.  On  the  31st  of  July  they  appointed  Lafayette  a  major- 
general  in  consideration  of  his  zeal,  his  illustrious  family,  and 
his  distinguished  connections.  Congress  had  judged  well  and 
wisely ;  the  resolution  contributed  materially  to  influence 
public  opinion  in  favor  of  an  open  war  with  England,  and  of 
an  alliance  with  the  United  States.47 

Lafayette  could  not  but  be  sensible  that  such  a  preference 
over  a  veteran  officer  like  Kalb,  as  whose  protege  he  had 
come  into  the  country,  was  in  glaring  contrast  to  their  re- 
spective merits.  He  accordingly  had  the  delicacy  to  assure 
Kalb  that  he  would  accept  the  proffered  rank  only  on  condi- 
tion of  the  same  position  being  given  to  them  both. 

Kalb,  on  his  part,  was  heartily  glad  of  the  good  fortune 
of  his  young  friend,  and  sufficiently  disinterested  to  decline 
his  proposal.  On  the  contrary  he  advised  him  to  join  the 
army  forthwith,  as,  after  the  sensation  produced  by  his  de- 
parture from  France,  it  would  not  be  well  for  a  young  man 
of  his  time  of  life  to  return  before  having  achieved  honor  and 
distinction  in  a  campaign  or  two.  Lafayette  took  this  excel- 
lent advice,  and,  a  few  weeks  later,  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Brandywine,  where  he  was  slightly  wounded.  Kalb  took  a 
fatherly  interest  in  this  little  wound,  which,  he  said,  would 
make  a  good  impression  everywhere,  and  would  raise  his 
young  friend  in  general  estimation. 

To  the  President  of  Congress  Kalb  wrote  on  the  1st  of 
August,  1777:  sharply  and  bitterly  criticising  the  course  which 
his  affairs  had  taken,  and  convincingly  demonstrating  the  jus- 
tice of  his  claim. 


114  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

"  An  accidental  lameness,"  he  says,  "  prevented  me  from 
calling  on  any  member  of  Congress  to  know  what  has  been 
or  shall  be  decided  in  regard  to  the  agreement  between  Mr. 
Deane  and  myself,  and  not  to  trouble  the  gentlemen  of  the 
Comitee  for  french  officers,  or  multiply  their  business  by 
writing  in  french,  I  take  the  liberty  of  applying  to  your  ex- 
cellency for  information  on  that  account,  in  explaining  myself 
in  english  as  much  as  I  may  be  able  to  do  it.  I  was  vastly 
surprised  at  my  being  introduced  to  Mr.  Lowell  to  hear  him 
(almost  in  public)  exclaim  loudly  against  Mr.  Dean e's  proceed- 
ings, and  disapprove  all  the  conventions  this  agent  has  made 
with  several  officers,  as  being  contrary  to  his  powers.  To 
which  I  answer  that  a  public  man  ought  to  know  what  powers 
he  hath  from  his  constituents  or  hath  not ;  that  Mr.  Deane  is 
generally  esteemed  to  be  a  candid  man  and  a  man  of  sense ; 
that  whatever  he  may  have  agreed  to  with  others,  and  this  too 
perhaps  in  a  language  he  did  not  understand,  mine  is  in  eng- 
lish, and  so  very  plain  that  it  can  admit  of  no  various  inter- 
pretations ;  for  that  reason  I  M'ill  strictly  keep  to  the  text  of 
it  as  for  the  rank  ;  as  to  interest,  I  will  not  be  too  rigid  but 
rely  on  Congress'  pleasure.  As  I  have  till  now  fulfilled  my 
part  of  that  agreement,  I  wish  Congress  would  do  theirs, 
without  loss  of  time,  and  let  me  hear  of  their  resolution 
thereof.  I  would  not  be  a  simple  spectator  in  the  scenes  pre- 
paring for  opening. 

"  If  you  will  not  ratify  Mr.  Deane's  engagement  and  ap- 
point me  as  major-general  in  your  army,  I  am  ready  to  return 
to  Europe,  but  think  myself  entitled  to  ask  you  a  sufficient  sum 
for  my  going  home.  I  received  from  Mr.  Deane  1,200  livres 
French  money,  and  certainly  by  going  to  and  fro  in  France, 
by  his  direction,  and  all  other  expenses  until  my  arrival  at 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  115 

Philadelphia,  I  spent  twice  as  much.  And  though  I  ardently 
desired  to  serve  America,  I  did  not  mean  to  do  so  in  spending 
part  of  my  own  and  my  children's  fortune — for  what  is  deem- 
ed generosity  in  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  would  be  down- 
right madness  in  me,  who  does  not  possess  one  of  the  first-rate 
fortunes.  If  I  were  in  his  circumstances  I  should  perhaps 
have  acted  like  he  did.  I  am  very  glad  that  you  granted  his 
wishes ;  he  is  a  worthy  young  man,  and  no  one  will  outdo  him 
in  enthusiasm  in  your  cause  of  liberty  and  independence.  My 
wishes  will  always  be  that  his  successes  as  general-major  will 
equal  his  zeal  and  your  expectation.  But  I  must  confess, 
sir,  that  this  distinction  between  him  and  myself  is  painful  and 
very  displeasing  to  me.  We  came  on  the  same  errand,  with 
the  same  promises,  and  as  military  men  and  for  military  pur- 
poses, I  flatter  myself  that  if  there  was  to  be  any  preference 
it  would  be  due  to  me.  34  years  of  constant  attendance 
on  military  service,  &  my  station  &  rank  in  that  way,  may 
well  be  laid  in  the  scale  with  his  disinterestedness,  and  be  at 
least  of  the  same  weight  and  value  ;  this  distinction  is  very 
unaccountable  in  an  infant  state  of  a  commonwealth,  but  this 
is  none  of  my  business.  I' only  want  to  know  whether  Con- 
gress will  appoint  me  as  general-major,  and  with  the  seniority 
I  have  a  right  to  expect  this  (for  I  cannot  stay  here  in  a  lesser 
capacity).  It  would  seem  very  odd  and  ridiculous  to  the 
french  ministry  and  all  experienced  military  men  to  see 
me  placed  under  the  command  of  the  Marquis  de  la  Fayette. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  it  will  not  be  agreeable  to  the  TJ. 
S.,  I  ask  your  excellency  to  give  me  full  satisfaction  for  the 
purpose  of  going  back,  so  that  I  may  leave  this  country  as 
soon  as  possible.  I  hope  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  fulfill- 
ing my  last  request,  for  I  should  be  sorry  to  be  compelled  to 


116  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

carry  ray  case  against  Mr.  Deane  or  his  successors  for  dam 
ages.  And  such  an  action  would  injure  his  credit  and  negotia- 
tions, and  those  of  the  state  at  court. 

"  I  do  not  think  that  either  ray  name,  my  services,  or  my 
person  are  proper  objects  to  be  trifled  with  or  laughed  at.  I 
cannot  tell  you,  sir,  how  deeply  I  feel  the  injury  done  to  me, 
and  how  ridiculous  it  seems  to  me  to  make  people  leave  their 
homes,  families,  and  affairs  to  cross  the  sea  under  a  1000 
different  dangers,  to  be  received  and  to  be  looked  at  with 
contempt  by  those  from  whom  you  were  to  expect  but  warm 
thanks."  * 

Although  Kalb  was  entirely  justified  in  what  he  claimed, 
he  was  at  the  same  time  sufficiently  liberal  to  appreciate  the 
difficulties  with  which  Congress  was  then  contending.  They 
had  to  choose  between  displeasing  their  own  officers,  men 
who  had  sacrificed  their  livelihoods  to  the  service  of  the  coun- 
try in  the  field,  in  some  cases  with  distinction  ard  success,  and 
offending  foreigners  who,  however  generous  in  their  offers, 
were,  with  the  single  exception  of  Kalb,  ignorant  of  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country,  and  of  untried  merits.  For,  whatever 
advantages  they  derived  from  a  more  thorough  military  edu- 
cation and  more  extensive  experience,  it  was  yet  by  no  means 
certain  that  they  would  be  able  to  make  their  qualities  avail- 
able on  new  ground  and  with  new  material.  Congress  was 
obliged  to  consider  the  question  whether  they  ought  to  risk  a 
rupture  with  men  like  Greene  and  Sullivan,  whether  they 
ought  to  go  the  length  of  driving  the  native  officers  out  of  the 
service,  and,  above  all,  whether  their  course  would  meet  with 
the  approbation  of  the  army  and  the  people.  Of  course  it 
was  out  of  the  question  for  them  to  come  to  a  declared  issue 

*  A  true  copy  of  the  original  letter. 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  117 

with  either  the  one  or  the  other.  Even  at  the  hazard  of  a 
quarrel  with  the  French  officers,  they  had  no  course  to  pursue 
except  to  disavow  Deane's  course,  and  take  sides  with  the 
native  generals.  According  to  the  letter  of  the  contract  Con- 
gress was  clearly  in  the  wrong,  and  would  have  been  the 
losing  party  if  the  matter  had  been  litigated  before  the  civil 
tribunals  of  their  own  country ;  but  in  political  and  State 
matters  it  is  frequently  better  to  cut  a  knot  than  to  untie  it. 
Kalb  himself  frankly  admits  in  a  letter  to  his  wife  of  the  19th 
of  September,  1777,  that  he  and  his  company  were  too  nu- 
merous, and  invested  with  too  many  positions  of  a  high  grade, 
not  to  have  excited  the  natural  discontent  of  the  American 
officers. 

On  the  8th  of  September  Congress  resolved  that  Deane 
had  no  authority  to  make  the  conventions  relied  upon  by  the 
French  officers,  for  which  reason  Congress  were  not  bound 
to  ratify  or  to  fulfil  them ;  that,  nevertheless,  thanks  be  given 
to  those  gentlemen,  and  that  their  expenses  to  this  continent 
and  on  their  return  to  France  be  paid.  Kalb  now  prepared 
a  statement  of  the  expenses  prepared  by  each  individual,  and 
submitted  them  to  Congress,  who,  on  the  14th  of  September, 
scrupulously  complied  with  their  responsibilities  in  this  par- 
ticular. Some  of  the  French  officers  who  had  come  with  the 
Victoire  returned  by  way  of  Boston  and  Portsmouth,  others 
by  way  of  Southern  ports. 

Kalb  intended  to  join  the  latter  group.  He  had  barely 
recovered  from  a  fever  which  had  confined  him  to  his  bed  and 
room  for  six  full  weeks.  On  the  loth  of  September  he  left 
Philadelphia,  with  Delesser,  Valfort,  and  Dubuysson,  took 
the  route  by  way  of  Bethlehem,  where  he  paid  his  Moravian 
countrymen  a  visit  of  which  he  has  left  a  minute  description, 


118  LIFE     OF     KALB. 

and  was  about  to  proceed  thence  to  Lancaster,  when  a  mes- 
senger of  Congress  reached  him  with  the  news  that  he  had 
been  elected  a  major-general  on  the  day  of  his  departure. 
During  his  stay  at  Philadelphia,  and  the  negotiations  in  which 
he  was  the  principal  actor,  he  had  made  the  acquaintance  of 
several  of  the  most  influential  members  of  Congress,  and  had 
so  impressed  them  with  a  sense  of  his  efficiency,  that  they  en- 
deavored to  secure  his  services  for  the  United  States.  They 
accordingly  moved  the  creation  of  a  new  major-generalship. 
The  motion  was  adopted,  and  he  elected  to  the  post,  on  the 
15th  of  September." 

On  being  advised  of  this  transaction,  Kalb  took  a  night 
to  consider  upon  it,  and  next  morning  declined  the  offer, 
stating  his  reasons.  However,  at  the  solicitations  of  the  en- 
voy of  Congress,  he  promised  to  reconsider  the  matter,  and  to 
forward  his  answer  to  Philadelphia  in  a  few  days.  A  prin- 
cipal reason  for  his  refusal  was  the  fear  that  the  returning 
French  officers,  who  had  the  same  rights  and  prospects  with 
himself,  would  take  offence  at  his  separating  himself  from 
them,  and  would  make  representations  unfavorable  to  him- 
self to  the  Comte  de  Broglie  and  the  French  minister. 

"  Congress  replied,"  wrote  Kalb  to  his  wife,60  "  that  they 
had  no  objection  whatever  to  those  gentlemen,  except  that 
they  could  not  understand  a  word  of  English,  and  were 
therefore  in  the  first  instance  incapable  of  serving  in  the 
army  or  in  the  country.  I  have  meditated  further  over  the 
matter,  and  have  considered  it  in  a  twofold  aspect.  If  I  re- 
turn, no  one  can  complain  of  me,  for  I  have  done  no  mau 
harm,  and  have  served  every  one  to  the  extent  of  my  powers. 
But  in  that  case  I  shall  attain  none  of  the  objects  for  which 
I  have  undertaken  this  journey.  If  I  remain,  Yalfort,  who 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  119 

knows  all  my  movements  and  understands  my  motives,  will 
undertake  my  defence  on  his  return.  Besides,  I  am  per- 
suaded in  advance,  that  the  marshal,  as  well  as  the  Comte 
de  Broglie,  will  approve  of  my  seizing  the  most  enterprising 
and  dangerous  horn  of  the  dilemma,  and  preferring  to  de- 
prive myself  for  some  time  longer  of  my  domestic  comforts 
and  my  family.  The  Chevalier  Dubuysson  will  acquaint 
Congress  with  the  conditions  on  which  I  accept  their  offer. 
If  they  are  granted,  so  much  the  better  for  me  ;  if  rejected, 
I  shall  at  least  have  the  honor  of  having  declined  what  was 
offered  to  me  alone,  and  shall  soon  again  salute  you  and  our 
household  gods." 

Congress,  without  acceding  to  every  one  of  Kalb's  stip- 
ulations, complied  with  his  wishes  in  the  main,  and  issued 
his  commission  on  the  4th  of  October,  the  day  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Germantown,  ordering  his  seniority  to  date  from  the 
31st  of  July,  the  day  of  Lafayette's  appointment,61  and 
promised  him  the  command  of  a  division  just  vacated. 
They  had  even  offered  to  antedate  his  commission  to  the  7th 
of  November,  1776,  confirming  the  appointment  made  by 
Deane ;  Kalb,  however,  declared  himself  satisfied  with  es- 
caping the  ridicule  of  ranking  under  Lafayette,  and  therefore 
requested  his  commission  to  bear  the  same  date  with  that  of 
the  latter.  This  was  done. 

On  the  13th  of  October  Kalb  set  out  to  join  the  army, 
then  encamped  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  battle-field  of 
Germantown,  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  north  of  Philadelphia, 
in  Montgomery  County,  between  the  Perkiomen  and  White- 
marsh  Creeks. 


CHAPTEK    VII. 

KAI.B  JOINS  THE  ARMY. — Is  PLACED  IN  COMMAND  OF  A  DIVISION. — CONWAY 
ALONE  OPPOSED  TO  HIM. — His  COMPLAINTS. — KALB  GOES  TO  RED  BANK 
AND  OPPOSES  AN  ATTACK  ON  PHILADELPHIA — His  ELABORATE  REPORT  TO 

THE  COMTE  DE  BROGLIE,  OF  THE  24TH  OF  FEBRUARY,  1778. — RECAPITU- 
LATION OF  EVENTS  SINCE  THE  END  OF  JULY,  1777. — MOVEMENTS  OF  THE 
ENGLISH.  —  BATTLE  OF  BRANDYWINE. — BRAVERY  OF  THE  AMERICAN 
TROOPS.  —  LAFAYETTE.  —  SI-RATEGICAL  ERROR  OF  WASHINGTON.  —  His 
WELL-LAID  PLANS  AT  THE  SCHUYLKILL  FRUSTRATED  BY  WAYNE. — OCCU- 
PATION OF  PHILADELPHIA  BY  THE  BRITISH. — SUCCESSES  OF  THE  AMERICAN 
ARMS  IN  THE  NORTH. — GATES  AND  BURGOYNK. — CHARACTER  OF  WASHING- 
TON.— BROGLIE'S  ASPIRATIONS  TO  THE  DICTATORSHIP  OF  AMERICA  REDUCED 
TO  ZERO. — BATTLE  OF  GERMANTOWS. — ENERGY  OF  THE  COMMANDER-IN- 
CHIEF. — WANT  OF  A  NAVY. — STATE  OF  THINGS  IN  CAMP. — KALE'S  COM- 
PANIONS.— THEIR  DIMINISHED  NUMBERS. — DIFFICULTY  OF  FINDING  BERTHS 
FOR  THEM. — EXTRAVAGANT  DEMANDS  OF  Du  COUDRAY  AND  His  FOLLOW- 
ERS.— OPERATIONS  ON  AND  NEAR  THE  DELAWARE. — COLONEL  DONOP. — 
His  DEATH  AND  LAST  WORDS. — FAVORABLE  MOMENT  FOR  FRANCE  TO  DE- 
CLARE WAR  AGAINST  ENGLAND. — PROBABLE  RUIN  OF  A  FLEET. — KALB 
ORDERED  TO  RED  BANK. — RESOLUTION  TO  BLOW  UP  THE  FORT. — KALB 
THROWS  REINFORCEMENTS  INTO  NEW  JERSEY. — MOVEMENTS  IN  THE  FIELD. 
— THE  AMERICAN  TROOPS  NOT  so  STRONG  AS  THE  ENGLISH. — BAD  ADMIN- 
ISTRATION OF  THE  AP.MY. — KALE'S  DIVISION. — HE  WANTS  TO  ATTACK  THE 
REARGUARD  OF  THK  ENGLISH. — WASHINGTON  FORBIDS  IT — SKIRMISH  AT 
WATSON'S  FORT. — BLUNDER  OF  SULLIVAN. — WINTER-QUARTERS  AT  VALLEY 
FORGE. — BAD  SELECTION  OF  THE  CAMP  GROUND. — WASHINGTON  SURROUND- 
ED BY  EVIL  COUNSELLORS. — SMALL  NUMBER  OF  SOLDIERS  FIT  FOR  DUTY. — 
SLOVENLY  CONDITION  OF  THE  MILITIA. — DIFFICULTY  OF  RECRUITING. — 
WANT  AND  SICKNESS  IN  THE  CAMP. — OVER-FATIGUE  OF  THE  SOLDIRRS. — 
SUPERFLUOUS  OFFICERS  AND  EXPENSIVE  OKFICKHS.— DISORDER  IN  THE 
QUARTERMASTER'S  DEPARTMENT. — FREQUENT  AND  IRKSOME  PARADES. — 
KALE'S  PERSONAL  POSITION  IN  THE  CAMP. — PECULATIONS  OF  THE  CON- 
TRAcro;s. — MUTUAL  JKALOUSY  OF  THE  FRENCH  OFFICERS. — LAFAYETTK 
THE  '  :i.  EICEPTI  N.— KALE'S  PLANS  OF  RETURNING  TO  FRANCE  AND  PRO- 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  121 

TIDING   FOR   THE   FOTDEE. — DESIIUS   TO  Go   BACK  TO  EUROPE. — BtJT  R«- 
MAINS  FOR  THE  PRESENT. 

"TT^ALB  was  prepared  to  leave  at  once,  if  his  appearance 
in  camp  should  give  rise  to  disagreeable  remarks,  or 
his  reception  should  be  other  than  a  cheerful  one.  But,  being 
cordially  welcomed  by  all  the  American  officers,  he  assumed 
the  command,  in  the  early  part  of  November,  of  a  division 
assigned  him,  which  was  formed  of  New  England  regiments." 

He  was  assailed,  however,  by  the  petty  envy  of  the  Irish- 
man Conway.  This  brigadier,  who  subsequently  acquired  an 
unenviable  prominence  in  the  annals  of  the  American  revolu- 
tion by  the  cabal,  already  inaugurated,  and  since  designated 
by  his  name,  felt  himself  injured  and  foreshortened  in  his 
claims  by  the  appointment  of  Kalb  as  major-general.  Al- 
though, like  the  latter,  he  had  quitted  the  French  service  with 
the  rank  of  brigadier,  he  endeavored  to  make  it  appear  that 
he  had  formerly  been  Kalb's  superior  officer,  and  was  now 
unjustly  subordinate  to  him.  "  It  is  with  exquisite  concern," 
writes  Conway  complainingly  to  Congress,"  "  that  I  find  my- 
self slighted  and  forgot,  when  you  have  offered  rank  to  per- 
sons who  cost  you  a  great  deal  of  money,  and  have  never 
rendered  you  the  least  service.  Baron  de  Kalb,  to  whom 
you  have  offered  the  rank  of  Major-General,  is  my  inferior  in 
France." 

And  thus  he  proceeded  to  utter  his  complaints  and  objec- 
tions, winding  up  with  a  demand  of  a  major-general's  com- 
mission. He  approached  Washington  in  the  same  manner ; 
but  the  latter  knew  his  man  too  well  to  be  influenced  by 
threats,  and  coolly  repelled  his  advances.  Nevertheless,  by 
the  aid  of  powerful  friends  in  Congress,  and  in  the  teeth  of 
Washington's  well-fo  mded  remonstrances,  he  managed  to 
6 


122  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

have  himself  appointed,  on  the  13th  of  December,  1777,  in- 
spector-general of  the  army,  with  the  rank  of  major-general. 
He  however  forfeited  this  position  in  April,  1778,  when,  hav- 
ing, on  an  unimportant  occasion,  renewed  his  threat  of  re- 
signing, he  was  taken  at  his  word,  and  his  subsequent  exculpa- 
tory declarations  refused  a  hearing. 

Kalb  gave  little  heed  to  these  annoyances,  and  soon  had 
the  good  fortune  to  gain  the  esteem  of  the  officers,  and  the 
appreciation  of  the  commander-m-chief.  We  first  meet  with 
his  name  in  the  middle  of  November,  1777,  when  he  was  sent 
by  Washington,  with  Generals  St.  Clair  and  Knox,  to  exam- 
ine the  fortifications  at  Red  Bank."  On  the  24th  of  the  same 
month,  some  days  after  his  return  from  Jersey,  he  attended  a 
council  of  war,  convened  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  an 
opinion  of  the  feasibility  of  making  an  immediate  attack  on 
Philadelphia.  Kalb  was  one  of  eleven  generals  who  unequiv- 
ocally opposed  the  undertaking  in  question.  As  but  four 
voted  in  its  favor,  it  was  not  attempted. 

In  his  letters  to  the  Comte  de  Broglie  and  to  his  wife, 
Kalb  not  only  gives  a  full  report  of  this  service,  but  also 
carries  his  narrative  back  to  the  date  of  his  arrival  in  Phila- 
delphia, and_discusses  the  subsequent  course  of  events.  These 
letters  serve  no  less  to  characterize  the  writer  than  to  throw 
light  upon  the  operations  in  the  field,  and  thus  furnish  an 
important  contribution  to  the  history  of  the  war.  The  opin- 
ions he  expresses  may  seem  harsh  and  even  unfeeling ;  they 
may  appear  just  to  some,  and  unjust  to  others ;  but  we  must 
remember  that  a  European,  who  could  have  no  idea  of  the 
subsequent  developments  of  American  history,  would  naturally 
judge  far  more  critically  than  a  native,  or  one  whose  feelings 
were  entirely  identified  with  the  American  army.  We  who 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  123 

have  the  opportunity  of  contemplating  men  and  events  in  the 
light  of  after  times,  look  upon  them  with  different  eyes  from, 
their  contemporaries.  The  variance  between  Kalb's  opinion 
and  the  views  now  held  of  Washington's  strategy,  can  be,  at 
all  events,  no  reason  for  suppressing  these  letters. 

"I  had  the  honor,  M.  le  Corate,"  Kalb  writes  at  Lancas- 
ter, the  24th  of  September,  1777,  to  the  Comte  de  Broglie," 
"  to  send  you  from  South  Carolina  Nos.  1,  2,  and  3  of  my 
letters,  containing  the  announcement  of  our  arrival  in  Ameri- 
ca. No.  4  was  dated  at  Philadelphia,  and  details  our  recep- 
tion there.  I  also  informed  you  therein  of  the  appointment 
of  M.  de  Lafayette  as  major-general,  without  pay  or  command, 
and  the  consequent  resolution  of  all  his  comrades — except  his 
aide-de-camp  M.  de  Gimat — to  return  to  Europe.  I  trust 
these  letters  have  come  safely  to  hand.  On  the  17th  of  Sep- 
tember I  reported,  in  cypher,  the  battle  of  Wilmington  and 
its  consequences.  Having  reason  to  fear,  however,  that  that 
writing  has  been  lost,  I  shall  recapitulate  the  most  interesting 
events  which  have  occurred  since  the  close  of  July. 

"  On  the  30th  of  that  month  the  English  fleet  appeared  in 
the  Delaware,  numbering  twenty  sail.  General  Washington 
was  apprised  of  this  manoeuvre,  and  of  the  instructions  of  the 
English  Government  to  General  Howe,  directing  him  to  re- 
duce Philadelphia  at  any  cost,  and  arrived  with  his  army,  the 
same  day,  nine  miles  below  the  town.  After  remaining  there 
three  days  he  advanced  to  Wilmington,  on  the  Christina 
River.  When  the  fleet  stood  out  to  sea,  Washington  march- 
ed up  the  stream  to  a  point  thirty  miles  above  Philadelphia, 
partly  to  secure  the  crossing  into  the  Jerseys,  and  partly  to 
be  ready  for  any  further  movements  of  the  enemy.  No  soon- 
er was  it  ascertained  that  General  Howe  had  entered  Chesa- 


124  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

peake  Bay,  than  Washington  resumed  his  march,  and  took 
up  a  position  fifteen  miles  below  Philadelphia,  in  order  to  te- 
sist  a  landing  of  the  English,  wherever  attempted.  Howe 
finally  disembarked  his  troops  at  Head  of  Elk  [now  Elkton], 
whereupon  Washington  advanced  to  Wilmington.  However, 
he  lost  so  much  time  that  the  English  succeeded  in  occupying 
a  strong  position  on  a  height,  called  Iron  Hill,  where  the  Gen- 
eral massed  his  corps,  supposed  to  number  thirteen  or  four- 
teen thousand  men.  These  constituted  nearly  the  whole 
English  force,  only  the  last  levies  of  Tory  recruits  having  been 
left  at  New  York.  To  the  shame  of  the  country  it  must  be 
said  that  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland 
contain  a  large  number  of  these  Tories,  a  circumstance  well 
understood  by  the  English  Government,  when  they  ordered 
the  revolution  to  be  combated  from  the  middle  provinces  as 
a  base  of  operations. 

"On  the  9th  and  10th  of  September  General  Howe  made 
a  feint  of  turning  Washington's  flank.  As  he  approached 
the  insurgent  army,  the  latter  retreated  out  of  its  position 
on  the  heights  of  Brandy  wine,  where  it  could  have  baffled  all 
the  efforts  of  the  enemy,  by  simply  holding  the  precipitous 
bank  of  the  river.  On  the  1 1th  General  Howe  made  a  feigned 
attack  upon  a  ford  strongly  defended  by  Washington,  but 
carried  his  main  body  over  a  ford  which  the  Americans  had 
overlooked,  and  then  fell  upon  them  with  so  much  vigor, 
that  after  a  stout  resistance,  they  were  beaten  and  scattered. 
They  are  said  to  have  lost  eight  field-pieces,  and  about  six 
hundred  men  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.*  The 

*  Owing  to  a  remarkable  similarity  in  the  conformation  of  the  ground, 
the  disposition  of  General  Howe  was  exactly  like  those  made  by  the  King  of 
Prussia  at  the  battle  of  Kunersdorf,  when  he  caused  General  Fink  to  engage 
the  attention  of  Soltikow  until  he  succesded  in  carrying  his  army  across  the 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  125 

various  engagements  lasted,  with  some  interruptions,  from 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  till  sundown.  The  Marquis  de 
Lafayette  was  wounded  by  a  ball,  which  entered  his  left 
thigh.  The  loss  of  the  English  must  have  been  considerable, 
for  they  did  not  venture  to  pursue,  but  remained  several 
days  on  the  field  of  battle.  Advancing,  at  length,  to  Chester, 
they  retired  to  Wilmington,  at  the  approach  of  General 
Washington.  The  latter,  after  the  affair,  had  retreated  first 
to  Chester,  next  to  Darby,  and  on  the  third  day  to  Schuylkill. 
Thence  he  reported  to  Congress  that  his  troops  were  reorgan- 
ized and  in  high  spirits,  and  anxious  to  be  led  once  more 
against  the  enemy.  On  the  19th  he  encountered  the  British, 
marching  in  three  columns,  so  far  apart  that  if  the  Americans 
had  taken  the  right  column  on  the  flank,  which  they  could 
easily  have  done,  they  would  have  totally  routed  the  English, 
cutting  off  their  retreat.  Indeed  they  would  have  been 
crushed  to  atoms,  their  fleet  not  having  being  able  to  leave 
Chesapeake  Bay,  and  of  course  not  to  enter  the  Delaware, 
thus  putting  them  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy,  if  the  Ameri- 
can commander  had  known  how  to  improve  the  advantages 
of  his  position,  and  those  of  surprising  the  enemy.  But  in- 
stead of  so  doing  he  frittered  away  his  time  in  slow  and  ill- 
conceived  manoeuvres,  which  only  resulted  in  directing  the 
attack  upon  the  head  or  strongest  point  of  the  column,  and 
in  giving  the  enemy  time  to  bring  up  the  other  columns. 
When  at  length  the  dispositions  for  an  attack  were  completed, 
a  shower  came  on,  so  violent  that  every  piece  refused  to  go 
off,  the  ammunition  became  useless,  and  each  army  went  its 
way  unmolesting  and  unmolested.  Washington,  forgetting 

river  at  a  point  higher  up  the  stream,  whence  he  assailed  and  drove  the  right 
wing  of  the  Russians.  (MS.  notes  of  Adjutant-Cap  tain  F.  von  Muenchhausen, 
who  served  under  General  Howo.) 


126  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

that  the  enemy's  powder  was  in  no  better  condition  than  his 
own,  retreated  to  the  Schuylkill  in  great  haste,  marching 
night  and  day,  amid  torrents  of  rain.  His  troops,  often  up 
to  their  waists  in  water,  dwindled  away  to  such  an  extent, 
that  of  what  was  said  to  be  twenty  thousand  men,  the  strong- 
est body  ever  put  into  the  field  by  the  colonies,  he  had  but 
six  thousand  remaining.  With  this  feeble  remnant  he  was 
forced  to  keep  on  the  defensive.  No  sooner  did  General 
Howe  perceive  his  own  escape  and  the  movements  of  the  en- 
emy, than  he  marched  in  pursuit,  and  concentrated  his  col- 
umns on  the  SchuylkilL  Washington  threw  a  division 
across  the  river  to  observe  the  enemy,  and  another  into  his 
rear,  to  harass  him  in  case  of  an  engagement.  The  plan 
was  well  devised,  but  ill  executed.  General  Wayne,  who 
commanded  the  latter  division,  suffered  himself  to  be  sur- 
prised, with  a  loss  of  six  hundred  men,  whereupon  both  divis- 
ions were  ordered  to  recross  the  river.  To  crown  all  Howe 
executed  a  masked  movement  upon  his  right  wing,  crossed 
at  a  ford  about  twelve  miles  above  Philadelphia,  and  posted 
himself  between  the  American  army  and  the  town,  which 
thus  fell  into  his  hands  on  the  28th  of  September.  Washing- 
ton is  now  massing  his  force,  for  the  purpose  of  driving  the 
enemy  out  of  the  town  again,  before  the  arrival  of  the  fleet. 
All  are  eagerly  expecting  what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  In 
Canada  the  English  General  is  said  to  have  taken  Ticonder- 
oga  about  the  end  of  June — through  the  pusillanimity  or 
treason  of  the  commander.  The  insurgents  were  already 
driven  back  to  within  twenty  miles  of  Albany.  Now,  how- 
ever, the  scales  have  turned.  It  is  said  that  the  English  have 
been  defeated  by  General  Gates  in  several  engagements. 
General  Burgoyne,  who  has  lately  arrive  I,  is  said  to  be 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  127 

wounded,  and  Tieonderoga  so  hemmed  in,  that  it  can  hold 
out  no  longer;  while  a  number  of  English  galleys  are  alleged 
to  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

"  I  have  not  yet  told  you  anything  of  the  character  of 
General  Washington.  He  is  the  most  amiable,  kind-hearted, 
and  upright  of  men ;  but  as  a  General  he  is  too  slow,  too  in- 
dolent, and  far  too  weak ;  besides,  he  has  a  tinge  of  vanity  in 
his  composition,  and  overestimates  himself.  In  my  opinion 
whatever  success  he  may  have  will  be  owing  to  good  luck 
and  to  the  blunders  of  his  adversaries,  rather  than  to  his  abil- 
ities. I  may  even  say  that  he  does  not  know  how  to  improve 
upon  the  grossest  blunders  of  the  enemy.  He  has  not  yet 
overcome  his  old  prejudice  against  the  French. 

"  If  I  return  to  Europe,  it  will  be  with  the  greatest  mor- 
tification, as  it  is  impossible  to  execute  the  great  design  I 
have  so  gladly  come  to  subserve.  M.  de  Valfort  will  tell  you 
that  the  project  in  question  is  totally  impracticable  ;  it  would 
be  regarded  no  less  as  an  act  of  crying  injustice  against  Wash- 
ington, than  as  an  outrage  on  the  honor  of  the  country." 

"  On  the  4th  of  this  month,"  continues  Kalb,  writing  to 
de  Broglie  from  New  York,  October  llth,  "Washington, 
having  marched  to  Germantown,  six  miles  from  Philadelphia, 
the  day  before,  under  cover  of  a  dense  fog,  fell  upon  three 
columns  of  the  English  force.  He  made  the  attack  with  his 
right  wing,  in  two  columns  (the  left  wing  under  General 
Greene  having  failed  to  come  up  in  time),  drove  in  the  enemy 
a  mile  and  a  half  beyond  the  lines  of  his  outposts,  and  only  re- 
tired after  an  obstinate  combat  of  three  hours'  duration.  The 
English  did  not  venture  to  follow.  Washington  again  drew 
up  his  troops  in  line  of  battle,  determined  to  renew  the  at- 
tack on  the  arrival  of  Greene's  column.  But,  after  waiting 


128  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

for  the  latter  in  vain,  lie  abandoned  the  plan  for  that  day, 
and  fell  back  upon  Germantown. 

"  Congress,  now  in  session  at  York,  have  been  assured  by 
the  commander  that  they  will  soon  be  in  a  condition  to  re- 
transfer  their  sittings  to  Philadelphia.  Indeed,  the  equipment 
of  the  troops  is  going  on  with  vigor.  The  Americans  seem 
to  be  bent  upon  usiug  up  or  capturing  the  royal  army  at  all 
hazards,  even  if  every  Englishman  should  cost  them  four  of 
their  own.  In  my  opinion  they  should  have  formed  and  car- 
ried oat  this  resolution  long  ago,  for  in  the  end  they  cannot 
fail  to  succeed  in  driving  the  British  from  the  continent. 

"  One  obstacle  remains,  however,  which  exceeds  all  others 
— the  absence  of  a  navy.  Without  assistance  from  abroad 
they  will  never  get  one.  As  long  as  they  cannot  engage  in 
commerce,  they  will  suffer  for  want  of  many  articles  of  use 
and  consumption,  which,  for  the  present,  they  cannot  think  of 
producing  for  themselves.  And  how,  without  commercial 
prosperity,  will  they  ever  discharge  the  enormous  debt  the 
war  has  fastened  upon  them  ? 

"  Several  members  of  Congress  are  urging  me  to  accept 
the  offered  commission  and  join  the  army  at  once,  as  a  serious 
engagement  is  expected  to  take  place  within  a  few  days. 
Unless,  however,  Washington  gives  me  the  same  advice,  and 
assigns  me  to  the  vacant  division  as  Congress  has  promised, 
I  shall  take  my  leave,  and  return  to  Europe  in  company  with 
M.  deValfort." 

"  I  have  the  honor,  M.  le  Comte,"  thus  reads  Kalb's  next 
letter,  dated  November  the  2d,  1777,  in  camp,  fourteen  miles 
from  Philadelphia,  "  in  my  last,  to  give  you  an  account  of  the 
battle  of  Wilmington  and  the  affair  of  Germantown.  Since 
then  no  events  of  importance  have  occurred.  On  the  14th  I 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  129 

reached  the  army,  and  was  very  kindly  received  by  the  com- 
mander-in-chief,  without  whose  consent  I  was  unwilling  to 
take  command  of  the  division  intended  for  me  by  Congress. 
This  course  of  mine  seems  to  have  given  him  pleasure,  as  he 
intends  to  demand  the  promotion  of  two  brigadiers,  his 
friends,  and  the  removal  of  two  major-generals.  In  that  case 
the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  as  well  as  myself,  would  shortly 
command  a  division.  As  for  the  rest,  I  believe  the  service 
will  not  be  attended  with  any  particular  amenities,  nor  will  it 
be  productive  of  glory.  It  is  a  great  deal  that  a  stranger 
does  not  dishonor  himself  in  his  own  eyes  and  that  of  his 
countrymen.  In  this  respect  such  extraordinary  things  occur 
here  as  would  scarcely  be  credited  in  Europe.  An  officer,  for 
instance,  will  leave  his  command  at  the  beginning  of  a  fight, 
informing  his  superior  that  he  has  something  else  to  do  some- 
where else,  or  omitting  to  make  this  explanation  (which  will 
do  equally  well),  will  remain  away  till  the  action  is  over,  and 
will  then  return,  and  nobody  refers  to  the  subject ;  he  returns 
to  duty,  pockets  his  pay,  and  repeats  the  mano2uvre  at  the 
next  opportunity.  Nothing  of  this  kind  is  to  be  imputed  to 
any  of  the  French  officers  now  serving  here;  on  the  contrary, 
all  the  world  agree  that  those  among  them  known  to  me  per- 
sonally or  by  name,  are  brave  men.  It  is  trae,  however,  that 
some  of  them  are  unpopular,  partly  on  account  of  their  quar- 
rels among  themselves,  and  partly  on  account  of  the  perplex- 
ities occasioned  by  their  ignorance  of  the  language. 

"  Our  caravan  has  dwindled  down  to  a  very  small  number. 
It  has  met  with  many  difficulties,  as  Congress  could  not  be- 
stow the  higher  charges  claimed  by  many  of  them,  who  would 
have  been  greatly  puzzled  to  understand  their  instructions, 
and  still  more  so  to  give  orders  themselves.  These  difficulties 
6* 


130  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

were  further  aggravated  by  the  demands  of  the  deceased  du 
Coudray,  for  at  first  it  was  desired  to  retain  in  or  take  into  the 
service  all  who  had  either  made  some  progress  in  the  English 
language,  or  at  least  seemed  to  be  making  efforts  to  acquire 
it.  Had  M.  de  Valfort  consented  to  remain,  Congress  would 
undoubtedly  have  made  him  a  brigadier.  I  might  even  have 
made  that  a  condition  of  my  own  entrance  into  the  army.  I 
would  certainly  have  made  this  stipulation  for  no  one  else. 
The  others  indulged  in  complaints  against  various  members 
of  Congress,  against  the  Government,  and  against  the  service 
in  general.  These  remarks  were  repeated  and  interpreted  as 
indications  of  ill-will  to  the  country.  I  believe  I  forgot  to  in- 
form you  in  my  last  that  I  told  Dubois  Martin  before  his  de- 
parture, that  it  depended  upon  him  alone  whether  he  would 
be  my  aid  or  not ;  and  that  he  declined  the  offer  on  the  sole 
pretext  that  he  had  not  any  military  equipments. 

"  I  beseech  you,  M.  le  Comte,  to  rest  assured  that  I  shall 
always  execute  your  wishes  and  commands  in  respectful  devo- 
tion, and  that  I  have  done  all  in  my  power  for  the  officers 
under  your  protection.  The  Marquis  de  Lafayette  and  M.  de 
Valfort  are  acquainted  with  my  conduct  in  this  respect  from 
the  day  we  set  out  until  the  moment  of  my  appointment  as 
major-general.  I  will  not  here  specify  the  measures  taken 
and  the  labor  performed  for  them,  as  it  is  only  necessary  to 
compare  the  treatment  of  the  officers  who  came  with  me,  with 
that  of  the  companions  of  du  Coudray,  to  decide  whether  my 
efforts  and  my  credit  have  been  of  any  avail  or  not.  Our 
company  now  consists  of  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  MM.  de 
Gramraont  and  Brice,  his  aide,  M.  Capitaine,  who  has  not  yet 
arrived,  but  will  certainly  remain,  MM.  de  la  Colombe  and 
du  Vrigny,  whom  the  marquis  hopes  to  employ  in  the  cav- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  181 

airy,  M.  Bedaulx,  who  meets  with  difficulties  in  spite  of  his 
connections  and  his  philological  acquirements,  M.  Dubuysson, 
and  myself.  What  has  particularly  induced  me  to  stay  is  the 
desire  to  see  your  adherents  more  largely  represented  here 
than  the  porteges  of  the  other  gentlemen  of  the  court,  who 
have  taken  part  in  American  affairs.  Almost  all  the  artiller- 
ists and  engineers  who  have  come  with  du  Coudray  seem 
anxious  to  go  back.  The  fault  is  their  own,  as  Congress  is 
only  willing  to  appoint  them  with  the  rank  they  claim,  while 
they  ask  for  a  great  deal  of  money.  I  do  not  know  what  will 
be  the  end  of  these  disputes,  or  the  resolutions  of  Congress ; 
but  I  am  glad  I  have  always  stood  aloof  from  du  Coudray's 
friends.  Their  demands  had  already  produced  so  much  dis- 
satisfaction at  the  time  of  my  arrival  in  the  country,  that  any 
interference  with  their  affairs  would  only  have  brought  me 
into  trouble. 

"  Reports  from  the  North  are  to  the  effect  that  the  Eng- 
lish General  Burgoyne  has  capitulated,  and  that  his  entire 
army  are  prisoners  of  war.  General  Howe  still  holds  out  in 
Philadelphia.  We  are  fourteen  miles  from  the  city,  and  are 
endeavoring  to  hem  it  in  more  and  more.  For  three  weeks 
Howe  has  been  unsuccessfully  operating  against  Fort  Mifflin, 
which  is  on  an  island  in  the  Delaware  near  Philadelphia,  as 
well  as  Red  Bank,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  same  river.  These 
forts  are  protected  by  three  American  frigates  and  a  number 
of  gunboats,  which  blew  up  an  English  man-of-war  of  six 
guns  and  a  frigate  of  thirty-two  guns  on  the  22d  of  October. 
On  the  same  day  an  assault  on  Red  Bank  was  repulsed  with 
loss.  We  took  eighty  prisoners,  including  several  officers, 
and  Colonel  Donop,  who  was  severely  wounded.  If  the  forts 
hold  out,  so  as  to  prevent  the  English  fleet  from  getting  to 


132  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

the  town  before  the  setting  in  of  the  hard  frosts,  it  must 
stand  out  to  sea  again,  and  General  Howe  will  find  it  difficult 
to  maintain  his  present  position." 

"  Colonel  Donop,"  says  Kalb  in  concluding  this  report 
on  the  7th  of  November,  "has  died,  deeply  mourned  by  his 
soldiers.  His  last  words  were,  that  he  died  a  sacrifice  to  the 
cupidity  of  his  sovereign.  The  successes  in  the  North  are 
confirmed.  If  His  Majesty  could  resolve  upon  a  war,  how 
favorable  would  be  the  present  moment !  It  would  be  easy 
to  intercept  at  sea  the  5,100  men  of  Burgoyne's  army  who 
are  now  to  be  conveyed  to  Europe  (but  were  retained  in 
America).  A  French  squadron  of  ten  or  twelve  Hue-of- 
battle  ships,  sent  at  once  into  Delaware  Bay,  could  force  the 
whole  English  fleet  to  surrender.  In  consequence  of  such  a 
victory  the  English  in  Philadelphia  would  fall  into  our 
hands  at  the  same  time.  What  glory  for  France,  to  finish 
the  war  in  less  than  a  campaign,  and  to  dictate  terms  to 
England.  The  blow  would  be  certain.  I  have  not  the  least 
doubt  that  the  English  fleet  will  resume  its  present  position 
next  year,  if  General  Howe  does  not  evacuate  Philadelphia, 
which  he  will  do  only  at  the  utmost  need.  I  begin  to  believe 
that  our  forts  will  not  hold  out  long  enough  to  compel  him 
to  retreat.  In  that  case  he  will  still  need  the  fleet,  to  pro- 
vision his  army,  as  much  as  he  does  now." 

"  Since  my  last  letter  of  November  the  7th,  M.  le 
Comte,"  Kalb  goes  on  to  say,  in  his  letter  of  December  12, 
1777,  written  in  camp,  seventeen  miles  from  Philadelphia, 
"  nothing  new  has  occurred  in  the  army.  Detachments, 
marches,  and  countermarches,  without  material  results  for 
either  side — that  is  all.  It  should  be  mentioned,  however, 
that  the  English  have  burned  three  of  their  men-of-war, 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  133 

which  had  run  aground  in  the  Delaware.  On  the  other 
hand  the  enemy's  artillery  have  destroyed  and  laid  open  our 
Fort  Mifflin,  so  that  we  were  compelled  to  leave  it.  But  we 
carried  off  the  only  piece  of  ordnance  not  disabled. 

"  On  the  17th  of  November  I  was  directed  by  the  com- 
mander-in-chief,  with  two  other  generals,  to  go  to  Jersey, 
and  ascertain  whether  Red  Bank  could  resist  a  hostile  attack, 
or  would  have  to  be  abandoned  and  destroyed  at  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy.  We  were  to  consult  the  navy  officers 
of  the  United  States  now  cruising  in  the  Delaware.  They 
were  unanimously  of  opinion  that  the  superiority  of  the 
hostile  artillery  made  a  defence  impossible.  We  found  this 
confirmed.  Not  only  are  the  defences  of  the  fort  so  dilapi- 
dated that  in  a  very  few  days  the  garrison  must  be  destroyed 
or  captured,  but  its  location  is  so  unfavorable  that  without 
the  support  of  ships  it  cannot  molest  the  enemy  in  the  least. 
It  would  neither  prevent  him  from  constructing  chevaux  de 
frise  in  the  channel,  nor  damage  his  frigates  and  transports. 
It  was  therefore  resolved  to  mine  the  fortifications,  and,  if 
the  troops  stationed  in  the  Jerseys  should  cross  Mente  Creek, 
and  not  be  successfully  repulsed,  to  evacuate  the  fort  and 
blow  it  up.  This  has  since  been  done  under  the  direction 
of  General  Varnum. 

"Four  days  later,  after  my  return  to  headquarters  at 
Whitemarsh,  General  Washington  ordered  me  to  throw 
reinforcements  into  Jersey,  General  Howe  having  greatly 
increased  his  forces  there  of  late.  Our  camp  was  threatened 
by  this  movement,  on  which  account  our  troops  were  with- 
drawn from  the  left  bank  of  the  Delaware.  By  good  fortune 
four  brigades  from  the  army  of  the  North  arrived  just  in 
time  to  make  us  a  match  fcr  the  enemy.  On  the  3d  of  Decetn- 


134 


LIFE     OF    KALB. 


ber  Howe  approached  and  made  sundry  feints  both  to  the 
right  and  to  the  left,  in  the  hope  of  decoying  us  out  of  our 
strong  position.  He  continued  traversing  the  field  for  eight 
days,  we  also  keeping  in  bivouac,  but  never  quitting  our 
ground.  He  did  not  venture  to  attack  us;  nor  was  it 
advisable  for  us  to  advance  upon  him  and  sacrifice  the 
advantages  of  the  ground.  For,  in  other  respects,  the 
chances  were  by  no  means  equal.  Had  the  enemy  been  de- 
feated, he  would  have  retreated  in  safety  to  Philadelphia ; 
had  the  fortune  of  the  day  turned  against  us,  we  should  have 
risked  the  loss  of  our  whole  army,  and  the  downfall  of  the 
cause.  For  you  will  hardly  believe,  M.  le  Comte,  that  the 
enemy  still  exceeds  us  in  numbers,  and  that  our  army  has  at 
no  time  mustered  fifteen  thousand  men.  Howe  has  that 
force  in  effective  men.  I  am  certain  that  in  spite  of  the 
reinforcements  above  mentioned,  and  in  consequence  of  hard- 
ships, cold,  and  insufficient  clothing,  our  army  has  been 
reduced  until  the  men  capable  of  performing  duty  are  not 
more  than  seven  thousand,  while  our  hospitals  are  crowded. 
And  how  are  the  latter  administered  !  And  in  the  face  of 
all  this  the  soldier  is  worried  with  parades — and  such 
parades — three  times  longer  than  is  necessary,  and  on  march- 
ing days  as  well  as  others.  This  gives  me  as  much  regret 
as  it  fills  me  with  disgust.  However,  I  am  on  good  terms 
with  the  commanding  general.  He  has  formed  a  division 
for  me,  consisting  of  two  brigades,  all  New  England  troops, 
which  are  regarded  as  the  best. 

"  The  English  finally  retired  to  Philadelphia,  after  ravag- 
ing the  country  and  burning  many  houses.  I  had  correctly 
divined  their  intention  to  retreat  from  the  position  assumed 
by  them ;  knowing,  also,  that  their  provisions  v/ere  exhausted, 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  135 

their  supplies  cut  off,  and  the  surrounding  country  laid  waste, 
I  calculated  upon  defeating  their  rear,  being  well-acquainted 
with  the  ground,  and  knowing  that  the  main  body  could  not 
be  brought  into  action  against  me.  Besides,  it  was  already 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  my  retreat  perfectly 
secure.  I  requested  the  commander-in-chief  to  allow  me  to 
make  a  sally  with  a  part  of  my  division.  He  thanked  me 
very  kindly,  but  only  permitted  me,  if  I  thought  proper,  to 
detach  a  little  corps  of  observation,  and  desired  any  attack 
to  be  avoided.  I  therefore  sent  a  little  detachment  of 
infantry  and  cavalry  after  the  English,  directing  Major 
Dubuysson  to  show  them  the  way.  They  hung  on  the  rear 
of  the  enemy  for  five  miles,  and  by  that  gentleman's  report 
to  the  commanding  general  it  appeared  that  nothing  would 
have  been  easier  than,  with  four  field-pieces,  to  have  utterly 
defeated,  and,  indeed,  cut  off  and  captured  a  part  of  the  rear 
guard,  numbering  some  five  hundred  men,  while  passing 
a  long  defile. 

"  On  the  llth  of  December  we  broke  camp,  to  take  up  a 
position  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Schuylkill,  six  miles  in 
advance.  Two  divisions  of  the  right  wing  had  already 
passed  our  pontoon  bridge  at  Matson's  Ford,  when  suddenly 
an  intrenched  camp  was  seen  there,  from  which  the  enemy 
had  assailed  and  cannonaded  the  militia  marching  in  the 
front.  The  great  distance  made  it  impossible  that  General 
Howe  should  have  been  informed  of  our  movements  in  time 
to  have  thrown  his  main  body  in  our  way.  It  was  clear  that 
this  was  only  a  strong  detachment,  which  had  ventured  out 
in  search  of  provisions.  Instead,  howeve  •,  of  falling  upon 
the  enemy  and  engaging  him,  or  making  a  detour,  General 
Sullivan,  who  commanded  our  right  wing,  retreated  across 


136  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

the  bridge,  and  ordered  it  to  be  taken  down,  abandoning  tno 
militia  to  their  fate.  Thus  we  remained  on  the  left  bank, 
at  Swedes  Ford,  three  miles  above,  where  we  constructed  a 
new  bridge,  no  better  than  the  old  one.  Before  the  day  was 
over  we  learned  that  the  hostile  corps  numbered  but  two 
thousand  men,  and  made  off  in  the  utmost  haste. 

"  On  the  14th,"  continues  Kalb  in  a  postscript  written  in 
camp  at  Gulph's  Mill,  December  17,  1777,  "we  crossed  the 
river  by  two  fords  and  two  bridges,  and  pitched  this  camp. 
Yesterday  we  were  detained  by  the  weather,  and  to-day  by 
the  fast  proclaimed  by  Congress. 

"  Warfare  in  this  country  is  toilsome  and  difficult,  and 
the  season  is  too  far  advanced  for  us  to  remain  in  the  field. 
Nevertheless  we  do  remain.  Although  we  expect  to  go  into 
winter-quarters  the  day  after  to-morrow,  we  must  expect  a 
winter  campaign,  as  the  enemy  gives  us  little  rest,  and  his 
main  position  is  only  twenty  or  twenty-two  miles  away. 
The  miserable  hovels  we  are  constructing  in  these  dreary 
mountains  are,  therefore,  very  far  from  deserving  the  honor- 
able designation  of  winter-quarters.  Houses  are  not  to  bo 
had,  even  for  generals.  I  shall  personally  superintend  the 
erection  of  my  castle,  in  order  to  have  it  as  little  badly 
built  as  possible.  But  be  that  as  it  may,  Valley  Forge  is  to 
be  our  winter  retreat,  if  that  name  can  be  applied  to  so  ill- 
defended  a  camp  so  near  to  the  enemy.  Repose  will  cer- 
tainly not  be  our  portion,  as  the  number  of  those  fit  for  duty 
is  very  small,  in  consequence  of  the  great  number  of  sick 
and  of  discharges.  I  am  the  officer  of  the  day  every  fourth 
day.  Twenty-four  such  hours  afford  employment  sufficient 
for  two  men  ;  and  even  in  my  brief  leisure  hours  I  hardly 
have  a  moment  to  myself,  being  then  obliged  to  look  after 


LIFE     OP    KALB.  137 

my  division,  and  to  attend  the  various  consultations   and 
councils  of  war. 

"  On  the  19th  instant,"  Kalb  concludes  his  report  to 
de  Broglie  at  Valley  Forge,  on  the  25th  of  December,  "  the 
army  reached  this  wooded  wilderness,  certainly  one  of  the 
poorest  districts  of  Pennsylvania ;  the  soil  thin,  unculti- 
vated, and  almost  uninhabited,  without  forage  and  without 
provisions !  Here  we  are  to  go  into  winter-quarters,  i.  e., 
to  lie  in  shanties,  generals  and  privates,  to  enable  the  army, 
it  is  said,  to  recover  from  its  privations,  to  recruit,  to  re- 
equip,  and  to  prepare  for  the  opening  of  the  coming  cam- 
paign, while  protecting  the  country  against  hostile  inroads. 
The  matter  has  been  the  subject  of  long  debates  in  the  coun- 
cil of  war.  It  was  discussed  in  all  its  length  and  breadth — 
a  bad  practice  to  which  they  are  addicted  here — and  good 
advice  was  not  taken.  The  idea  of  wintering  in  this  desert 
can  only  have  been  put  into  the  head  of  the  commanding 
general  by  an  interested  speculator,  or  a  disaffected  man. 
Means  were  found  of  implicating  Congress,  which  body  has 
the  foible  of  interfering  with  matters  which  it  neither  un- 
derstands nor  can  understand,  being  entirely  ignorant  of 
the  locality.  It  is  unfortunate  that  "Washington  is  so  easily 
led.  He  is  the  bravest  and  truest  of  men,  has  the  best  in- 
tentions, and  a  sound  judgment.  I  am  convinced  that  he 
would  accomplish  substantial  results,  if  he  would  only  act 
more  upon  his  own  responsibility ;  but  it  is  a  pity  that  he  is 
so  weak,  and  has  the  worst  of  advisers  in  the  men  who  enjoy 
his  confidence.  If  they  are  not  traitors,  they  are  certainly 
gross  ignoramuses.  I  am  satisfied  that  our  present  position, 
if  retained,  will  offer  none  of  the  advantages  expected  from 
it.  On  the  contrary,  the  army  will  be  kept  in  continual 


138  LIFE    OF    KAMI. 

alarms  from  being  too  near  the  enemy,  and  too  feeble,  for  our 
whole  effective  force  hardly  amounts  to  six  thousand  men. 
To  use  them  for  the  protection  of  the  country,  excludes 
every  idea  of  rest  It  might  have  been  expected  that  a 
camp  would  have  been  formed  in  a  secure  position,  and  com- 
pact in  its  design,  corresponding  to  the  small  number  of  the 
army ;  and  that  it  would  have  been  strongly  intrenched,  so 
as  to  resist  any  attack.  Instead  of  this  the  divisions  are 
encamped  so  far  asunder,  that  we  are  practically  split  up 
into  a  number  of  petty  detachments,  isolated  so  as  to  be 
unable  to  support  each  other,  and  helplessly  exposed  to 
every  assault.  Who  knows  whether  we  shall  not  receive  a 
severe  blow  this  winter  ?  When  the  enemy  go  foraging,  we 
remain  quiet  in  camp.  If  we  were  properly  informed  of 
their  movements,  we  might  intercept  their  foraging  parties. 
But  in  most  cases  we  never  hear  a  word  about  them.  A  fine 
management  for  recuperating  and  making  the  army  effect- 
ive !  And  if  recruiting  is  to  be  attempted,  the  effective 
force  must  be  still  further  reduced,  by  detailing  officers  and 
men  for  that  purpose.  If  this  is  done  sparingly,  but  few 
recruits  will  be  obtained,  and  the  army  will  go  out  of  the 
winter-quarters  as  puny  as  it  went  in.  Unless  Congress  will 
speedily  throw  off  their  present  vacillation,  and  adopt  ener- 
getic measures  for  completing  the  regiments  and  compelling 
the  militia  to  serve  for  three  years  (a  step  I  have  been  daily 
advocating  for  a  long  time),  a  time  will  come  when  the 
General  will  not  be  able  to  calculate  upon  having  twenty 
men  to  command  next  morning.  The  men  are  drafted  in 
classes,  and  are  only  called  upon  to  pledge  themselves  for  a 
service  of  two  months.  After  the  expiration  of  that  time 
no  man  can  compel  them  to  remain  another  day.  This  state 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  139 

of  things  is  a  burthen  to  the  State  and  to  the  citizen ;  there 
is  no  end  to  the  drilling  of  raw  recruits,  from  which  the 
service  derives  no  manner  of  benefit.  This  system  of  militia 
service  will  yet  prove  the  destruction  of  the  cause.  The 
devil  himself  could  not  have  made  a  worse  arrangement. 
On  the  regular  troops  it  entails  a  further  disadvantage.  The 
moneyed  militiaman — and  the  majority  are  of  this  descrip- 
tion— does  not  march  himself,  but  hires  a  substitute,  whom 
he  pays  from  $200  to  $1,000  for  two  months'  service.  These 
gentry  are  well  content  to  pocket  this  amount  of  money  for 
an  eight  weeks'  promenade,  and  take  good  care  not  to  enlist 
permanently — the  very  thing  which  the  greater  part  of  them 
would  do  if  the  militia  service  was  abolished,  or  the  militia 
only  employed  to  fill  up  the  old  regiments.  You  may  im- 
agine the  difficulty  of  recruiting  under  these  circumstances. 
I  do  not  know  what  is  done  in  the  clothing  department ;  but 
it  is  certain  that  half  the  army  are  half  naked,  and  almost 
the  whole  army  go  barefoot.  As  to  patrolling  the  country 
round,  it  is  not  even  carried  so  far  as  to  keep  the  road  from 
Lancaster  to  Erie,  and  from  Erie  to  the  Delaware,  in  our 
control.  A  number  of  officers  have  joined  me  in  urging  this 
measure.  But  it  was  objected  that  by  so  doing  we  should 
expose  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  the  eastern  part  of  Mary- 
land, and  several  counties  of  Pennsylvania.  But  do  we  not 
expose  them  now,  and  all  the  more  ?  The  whole  difference 
would  be  that  such  a  disposition  would  enable  us  to  live  on 
what  now  constitute  the  supplies  of  the  enemy. 

"  Our  men  are  also  infected  with  the  itch,  a  matter  which 
attracts  very  little  attention  cither  at  the  hospitals  or  in 
camp.  I  have  seen  the  poor  fellows  covered  over  and  over 
with  scab.  I  have  caused  my  seven  regiments  to  put  up 


140  LIFE     OF     KALB. 

"barracks  large  enough  to  hold  all  these  unfortunates,  so  that 
they  can  be  subjected  to  medical  treatment  away  from  the 
others. 

"  All  things  seem  to  contribute  to  the  ruin  of  our  cause. 
If  it  is  sustained,  it  can  only  be  by  a  special  interposition  of 
Providence.  The  army  contractors  have  been  consulted  as 
to  the  best  place  for  going  into  winter-quarters,  and  have 
declared  that  the  present  location  is  the  most  convenient  for 
them.  This,  by-the-bye,  was  done  contrary  to  my  advice. 
Now  we  have  hardly  been  here  six  days,  and  are  already 
suffering  for  want  of  everything.  The  men  have  had 
neither  meat  nor  bread  for  four  days,  and  our  horses  are 
often  left  for  days  without  any  fodder.  What  will  be  done 
when  the  roads  grow  worse,  and  the  season  more  severe  ? 
Strong  detachments  ought  to  be  sent  out  at  once,  to  get  in 
provisions.  And  what  rest  is  given  to  the  soldier?  The 
generals  never  think  of  sparing  their  men.  They  take  the 
full  complement  of  guards  to  which  their  rank  entitles  them. 
The  general  of  the  highest  gracle  has  a  lieutenant  with  thirty 
men,  the  brigadier  a  sergeant  with  twelve  men  to  watch 
him,  and  the  remaining  staff  officers  in  proportion.  To  set  a 
good  example,  I  have  taken  it  upon  myself  to  reduce  the 
number  in  my  division.  This  has  been  much  commended 
but  by  no  means  imitated.  Imitation  is  not  in  vogue  here. 

"  In  addition  to  this  there  is  here  a  series  of  officers  very 
expensive  and  totally  superfluous.  Every  brigade  has  its 
commissary  of  subsistence,  its  quartermaster,  its  wagon- 
master,  its  commissary  of  forage,  and  each  of  these  again 
has  his  deputies.  Each  general,  again,  is  entitled  to  a  special 
commissary  of  subsistence  and  three  commissaries  of  forage. 
All  these  men  rank  as  officers,  and  really  have  nothing  to  do. 


LIFE     OP    KALE.  141 

My  blacksmith  is  a  captain  !  The  very  numerons  assistant- 
quartermasters  are  for  the  most  part  men  of  no  military  edu- 
cation whatever,  in  many  cases  ordinary  hucksters,  but  al- 
ways colonels.  The  same  rank  is  held  by  the  contractors- 
general  and  their  agents  (fournisseur  general  et  facteur  gen- 
eral). It  is  safe  to  accost  every  man  as  a  colonel  who  talks 
to  me  with  familiarity ;  the  officers  of  a  lower  grade  are  in- 
variably more  modest.  In  a  word,  the  army  teems  with 
colonels.  The  quartermasters-general  provide  quarters  for 
the  commander-in-chief  and  for  themselves,  but  for  nobody 
else.  The  other  generals,  even  some  of  the  officers,  take 
their  quarters  where  and  as  they  please  and  can.  For  this 
purpose  thousands  are  often  to  be  seen  hastening  on  in  ad- 
vance of  the  army.  In  the  rear  of  it  nobody  thinks  of  the 
distance.  Luckily  we  have  an  enemy  to  deal  with  as  clumsy 
as  ourselves.  If  any  one  you  have  occasion  to  look  for  is  to 
be  found,  it  is  only  to  be  accomplished  by  good  luck  or  inde- 
fatigable perambulations.  Plans  of  quarters  are  unknown. 
It  is  necessary  to  live  a  long  time  in  every  camp,  before  you 
can  find  your  way.  All  my  remonstrances  against  this 
abuse  were  of  no  avail.  I  have  abandoned  the  practice  of 
suggesting  improvements  in  the  service  and  in  organization. 
I  have  had  the  greatest  trouble  in  making  them  understand 
the  necessity  of  strong  patrols  for  visiting  the  posts.  They 
had  no  idea  of  a  system  of  pickets  and  outposts.  Detach- 
ments of  dragoons  were  usually  employed,  who  of  course 
knew  nothing  about  it.  Thus  it  happened  that  posts  were 
often  missed  for  days,  and  were  not  relieved,  from  ignorance 
of  their  locality,  and  that  the  officers,  in  visiting  the  posts, 
were  always  groping  in  the  dark.  The  party  who  had 
posted  them,  on  arriving  in  camp,  could  only  tell  approxi- 


142  LIFE    OP     KAI.H. 

mately  where  they  Ptood.  The  other  day,  when  I  was  re- 
lieved from  being  officer  of  the  day,  my  successor  inquired 
whether  I  had  held  a  parade.  I  answered  that  I  should 
never  unnecessarily  increase  the  troubles  of  the  soldiers,  nor 
keep  them  under  arms  to  no  purpose.  For  it  has  been  very 
cold  for  a  month,  and  the  assembly  as  well  as  the  mounting 
of  the  guard  is  done  so  slowly,  that  it  generally  consumes 
two  hours.  My  comrade  replied  that  he  had  ordered  up  all 
the  drummers,  and  meant  to  have  a  grand  parade. 

"  But  I  must  tell  you,  M.  le  Comte,  how  a  grand  parade 
is  managed.  When  the  troops  are  drawn  up  in  order,  the 
officers  of  the  guard  and  those  commanding  the  pickets  post 
themselves  opposite  the  line  on  horseback.  The  drummers 
then  march  solemnly  down  the  front  from  right  to  left,  and 
back  again  from  left  to  right,  beating  their  drums  all  the 
time.  Then  they  make  a  wide  detour,  and  repeat  the  per- 
formance in  the  rear  of  the  troops,  until  they  halt  on  the  right 
of  the  line.  At  this  moment  the  command  to  march  is  given, 
and  the  troops  pass  in  review  before  the  officers.  You  must 
understand  that  the  whole  parade,  headed  by  the  general, 
makes  a  circuit  around  the  little  cluster  of  horsemen,  and 
then,  before  setting  out  to  mount  guard,  range  themselves 
again  on  the  ground  from  which  they  started,  a  march  which 
occupies  at  least  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  How  sad,  that 
troops  of  such  excellence,  and  so  much  zeal,  should  be  so 
little  spared  and  so  badly  led !  But  everything  here  com- 
bines to  inspire  disgust.  At  the  smallest  sign  from  you  I 
shall  return  home. 

"I  have  never  mentioned  the  subject  of  my  pay,  because 
I  know  nothing  about  it.  I  have  not  received  anything.  I 
cannot  say  whether  it  amounts  to  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  to 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  143 

two  hundred  dollars  a  month,  or  more,  bat  it  ought  to  run 
from  last  July.  The  sum  looks  large,  but  horses  are  exces- 
sively dear  at  this  place,  and  all  necessaries  so  much  above 
the  ordinary  price,  that  the  best  I  can  hope  for  will  be  to 
escape  a  loss.  I  am  the  only  general  who  practises  economy, 
and  restricts  his  table  to  what  is  most  needed.  Neverthe- 
less, at  the  last  camp  I  had  to  pay  my  purveyor  of  milk  and 
butter  two  hundred  and  forty-two  francs  for  the  consumption 
of  two  weeks.  Besides,  the  pay  is  made  in  paper  money,  on 
which  there  is  a  loss  of  four  hundred  per  cent,  in  exchanging 
it  for  silver.  No  one,  therefore,  ought  to  serve  from  interested 
motives.  On  the  other  hand,  the  expenditures  for  provisions 
and  other  necessaries  for  the  army  must  be  enormous.  I 
draw  forage  for  two  four-horse  baggage  wagons,  besides 
which  three  horses,  raised  in  the  country,  have  been  furnished 
for  my  servants.  I  receive  twenty-four  daily  rations  or 
thirty-six  pounds  of  meat,  twenty-four  pounds  of  bread  or 
flour,  a  considerable  quantity  of  rum,  candles,  bacon,  salt, 
soap,  etc.  The  storehouses  are  well  filled,  and  we  are  at 
liberty  to  take  from  them  what  we  please.  The  war  fund 
pays  a  good  many  bills  that  could  not  well  be  made  public. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  the  contractors  make  fifty  per  cent,  on 
every  contract,  not  to  speak  of  the  other  defraudations,  the 
mere  enumeration  of  which  would  be  endless." 

As  a  finishing  touch  to  this  very  unattractive  pictura  of 
American  camp  life,  we  subjoin  Kalb's  remarks,  in  his  regu- 
lar correspondence  with  his  wife,  about  his  own  compatriots 
and  late  friends  and  companions.  "  On  the  whole,"  he  writes 
011  the  5th  of  January,  1778,  ''I  have  annoyances  to  bear,  of 
which  you  can  hardly  form  a  conception.  One  of  them  is  the 
mutual  jealousy  of  almost  all  the  French  officers,  particularly 


144  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

against  those  of  higher  rank  than  the  rest.  The  people  think 
of  nothing  but  their  incessant  intrigues  and  backbitings. 
They  hate  each  other  like  the  bitterest  enemies,  and  endeav- 
or to  injure  each  other  wherever  an  opportunity  offers.  I 
have  given  up  their  society,  and  very  seldom  see  them.  La- 
fayette is  the  sole  exception ;  I  always  meet  him  with  the 
same  cordiality  and  the  same  pleasure.  He  is  an  excellent 
young  man,  and  we  are  good  friends.  It  were  to  be  wished 
that  all  the  Frenchmen  who  serve  here  were  as  reasonable  as 
he  and  I.  Lafayette  is  much  liked ;  he  is  on  the  best  of 
terms  with  Washington  ;  both  of  them  have  every  reason  to 
be  satisfied  with  me  also." 

Another  letter,  written  January  7,  1778,  at  Valley 
Forge,  to  President  Henry  Laurens,"  shows  a  better  insight 
into  Washington's  difficult  position.  '*  What  can  I  say," 
Kalb  writes,  "  about  our  doings,  or  rather  doing  nothing 
during  the  i'all  ?  Have  we  ever  been  able  to  undertake  any- 
thing against  the  enemy  ?  Have  we  not  been  lying  often 
in  the  open  field,  without  tents,  under  arms  for  many  hours 
together,  and  in  very  severe  weather,  too  ;  with  an  army  al- 
most naked  and  barefoot,  worn  out  by  fatigue  (partly  by 
necessity  and  the  ordinary  hardships  of  the  field,  but  as 
much  so,  I  dare  say,  by  the  ignorance  of  some  of  the  leading 
officers,  in  keeping  the  men  under  arms  longer  than  would 
be  required),  and  constantly  inferior  to  the  enemy  in  num- 
ber, even  after  the  reenforcernent  from  the  Northern  army. 
To  whose  door  this  defect  of  numbers  must  be  laid  I  am  at 
a  loss  to  tell,  being  unacquainted  with  the  methods  employed 
or  prescribed  for  recruiting ;  'tis  most  improbable  that  the 
commander  can  be  faulty  in  this  point,  it  being  always  a 
general's  interest  to  have  a  strong  army.  He  has,  no  doubt, 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  145 

regularly  given  to  Congress  exact  returns,  to  show  them 
his  weakness.  I  cannot  but  observe,  in  justice  to  General 
Washington,  that  he  must  be  a  very  modest  man,  and  the 
greatest  friend  to  the  cause,  for  forbearing  public  com- 
plaints on  that  account,  that  the  enemy  may  not  be  apprised 
of  our  situation  and  take  advantage  of  it.  He  will  rather 
puffer  in  the  opinion  of  the  world  than  hurt  his  country,  in 
making  appear  how  far  he  is  from  having  so  considerable  an 
army  as  all  Europe  and  great  part  of  America  believe  he 
has.  This  would  show,  at  the  same  time,  he  did  and  does 
more  every  day  than  oould  be  expected  from  any  general  in 
the  world,  in  the  same  circumstances,  and  that  I  think  him 
the  only  proper  person  (nobody  actually  being  or  serving  in 
America  excepted),  by  his  natural  and  acquired  capacity,  his 
bravery,  good  sense,  uprightness  and  honesty,  to  keep  up 
the  spirits  of  the  army  and  people,  and  that  I  look  upon  him 
as  the  sole  defender  of  his  country's  cause.  Thus  much  I 
thought  myself  obliged  to  say  on  th.it  head.  I  only  could 
wish  in  my  private  opinion  he  would  take  more  upon  him- 
self, and  trust  more  to  his  own  excellent  judgment  than  to 
councils,  but  this  leads  me  out  of  my  way."  * 

Under  these  circumstances  Kalb  was  little  pleased  with 
his  new  sphere  of  action,  and  felt  himself  ill  at  ease  in  Val- 
ley Forge.  Almost  every  letter  to  his  wife  winds  up  with 
the  expression  of  a  wish,  or  with  a  definite  plan  for  his  im- 
mediate return  home.  At  one  moment  a  threatened  Euro- 
pean collision,  which  subsequently  collapsed  into  the  war  of 
th2  Bavarian  succession,  fills  him  with  a  desire  of  returning 
to  the  well-tried  flag  of  de  Broglie,  to  seek  on  the  battle- 
fields of  Germany  the  distinction  which  seemed  to  elude  bis 
*  Copied  verbatim. 

7 


146 


LIFE    OF    K  ALB. 


grasp  in  America ;  at  another  time  be  would  like  to  be  ac- 
credited as  envoy  from  France  to  Congress,  or  if  tbat 
vacancy  should  be  already  filled,  to  go  in  the  same  capacity 
to  Geneva,  where  his  religious  confession  would  not  bo  a 
hindrance  to  him  ;  again  he  paints  in  the  most  vivid  colors 
the  delights  of  an  idyllic  retirement  in  the  bosom  of  his 
family ;  finally,  he  postpones  his  departure.  Amid  these 
hopes  and  longings  day  after  day  goes  by,  until  at  length  he 
abandons  his  plan,  being  absorbed  in  the  claims  of  the  passing 
moment. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

SENTIMENTS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  GENERAL  AT  VALLEY  FORGE. — INTRIGUES 
AGAINST  WASHINGTON. — GATES  AND  CONWAY,  THE  CONWAY  CABAL. — WIN- 
TER CAMPAIGN  TO  CANADA. — EEASONS  THEREFOR. — LAFAYETTE  SELECTED 
FOR  THE  COMMAND  IN  CHIEF. — HE  DEMANDS  AND  RECEIVES  KALB  AS  A 
COLLEAGUE. —PLAN  OF  THE  EXPEDITION. — KALD  GOES  TO  ALBANY. — WANT 
OF  PREPARATIONS  OF  ALL  KINDS. — KALB  ADVISES  AN  IMMEDIATE  RETURN. 
— His  DISAGREEABLE  CONFLICTS  WITH  CONWAY. — THE  COMPLAINTS  AND 
FALSEHOODS  OF  THE  LATTER. — LETTER  OF  ROBERT  TROUP. — ACRIMONY  OF 
THE  CLIQUE. — LAFAYETTE'S  LETTER  TO  WASHINGTON. — KALB  RETURNS  TO 
HEADQUARTERS. — CELEBRATION  IN  HONOR  OF  THE  FRENCH  ALLIANCE. — 
KALB'S  JOY. — DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  FESTIVITIES. — COUNCIL  OF  WAR. — 
SWEARING  THE  TROOPS. — KALB  SWEARS  THE  OATH  OF  FIDELITY,  AND, 
FOR  THE  PRESENT,  RENOUNCES  THE  IDEA  OF  RETURNING. FALLS  DANGER- 
OUSLY ILL. — AFTER  HIS  RECOVERY,  HE  GOES  TO  HEADQUARTERS  AT  WHITE 
PLAINS. — PROJECTED  ATTEMPT  UPON  NEW  YORK. — KAI.B  RECKONS  UPON 
THE  EVACUATION  OF  THE  COUNTRY  BY  THE  ENGLISH. — His  CAMP  AT  FISH- 
KILL. — INACTIVITY  DURING  THE  SUMMER  OF  1778. — KALB'S  LONGING  FOR 
HOME. — PARTING  WITH  LAFAYETTE. — KALB  CONSULTS  WITH  WASHINGTON 
RELATIVE  TO  THE  PLAN  FOR  WINTER-QUARTERS. — HARDSHIPS  AND  PRI- 
VATIONS.— VISIT  AT  WEST  POINT. — CAMP  AT  MIDDLEBROOK. — SUFFERINGS 
INCIDENT  TO  THE  STAY  THERE. — INORDINATE  PRICES  OF  PROVISIONS. — 
ABSENCE  OF  A  FRATERNAL  SPIRIT  AMONG  THE  OFFICERS,  ESPECIALLY  THE 
FRENCH. — KALB'S  VISIT  AT  PHILADELPHIA. — RETURN  TO  CAMP. — KALB 
DESIRES  TO  BECOME  THE  FRENCH  ENVOY  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. — LETTER 
FROM  THE  COMTE  DE  BfiOGLIE  TO  KALB. — THE  LATTER  ADVANCES  TO  THE 
HUDSON  WITH  HIS  DIVISION  THE  2o  OF  JUNE,  1779. — WASHINGTON'S  IN- 
TENTIONS. 

A  T  the  time  of  which  we  are  now  speaking  the  Ameri- 
-*~^-  can  generals  and  statesmen  were  by  no  means  united 
in  that  spirit  of  cordial  harmony  and  patriotic  devotion  to 
the  welfare  of  an  imperilled  country,  which,  in  consequence 


148  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

of  distortions,  intended  or  unintentional,  of  the  truth  of  his 
tory,  is  so  frequently  ascribed  to  them.  The  American  army 
formed  no  exception  to  the  universal  rule  governing  all 
newly-raised  levies  of  this  description ;  it  had  its  full  share 
of  that  petty  envy,  those  fierce  dissensions  and  jealousies, 
those  intrigues  and  cliques,  which  inevitably  grow  out  of  the 
friction  of  heterogeneous  interests  and  the  clash  of  ambitious 
aspirations.  History,  of  course,  takes  note  only  of  the  dis- 
cords which  invaded  the  higher  circles,  and  here  again  the 
the  commander-in-chief  was  naturally  the  object  of  the  most 
violent  and  vindictive  assaults. 

To  arrive  at  a  correct  estimate  of  these  transactions  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that,  at  Valley  Forge,  Washington's 
reputation,  however  quickly  it  has  since  established  itself, 
was  by  no  means  such  as  to  point  to  him  as  the  only  and 
indispensable  man  for  the  times.  In  the  first  place,  the  re- 
sult of  the  last  battles  was  unfavorable,  and  the  result  is  the 
criterion  for  the  unthinking  masses;  again,  some  errors  in 
strategy  had  been  undoubtedly  committed,  and  were,  of 
course,  exaggerated  by  his  opponents  into  proofs  of  inca- 
pacity. Some,  like  Lee,  Gates,  and  Conway,  saw  in  him  a 
stumbling-block  in  the  path  of  their  own  ambition ;  others, 
like  Lovell  and  Adams,  thought  him  too  slow,  and  still  others 
saw  inevitable  ruin  in  ^;he  course  of  things  under  his  direc- 
tion. His  adversaries  numbered  in  their  ranks  patriots  and 
men  of  the  purest  and  most  disinterested  intentions  ;  but  the 
ringleaders  of  the  period  now  engaging  our  attention  were 
actuated  by  sinister  motives  and  the  chief  among  them  were 
Gates  and  Conway.  The  former  was  fairly  intoxicated  with 
the  splendor  of  his  victory  over  Burgoyne,  largely  brought 
about,  as  it  had  been,  by  the  previous  dispositions  of  Wash- 


LIFE     OF     KALB.  149 

ington  and  Schuyler,  and  occupied,  even  in  the  eyes  of  a 
strong  party  in  Congress,  the  position  of  the  expected  deliv- 
erer from  bondage.  The  latter,  a  born  intriguer,  felt  that 
Washington  understood  him  well,  and  therefore  hoped  to 
make  his  way  by  clinging  to  the  skirts  of  Gates.  As  we 
have  already  seen,  he  managed  to  obtain  the  rank  of  major- 
general,  and  the  post  of  inspector-general  of  the  army,  in 
December,  1777,  in  the  teeth  of  "Washington's  well-founded 
objections. 

The  object  of  the  cabal  which  is  known  by  Conway's 
name  was  none  other  than  to  undermine  Washington's  repu- 
tation with  the  army  and  in  Congress,  and  to  supplant  him  in 
the  command  by  General  Gates.  The  latter  had  just  re- 
ceived from  Congress  the  position  of  President  of  the  Board 
of  Wai',  which  gave  him  the  supreme  direction  of  military 
affairs.  The  cabal,  the  earliest  symptoms  of  which  have  been 
traced  as  far  back  as  November,  1777,  matured  in  the  camp 
at  Valley  Forge,  but  was  defeated,  in  January,  1778,  by  the 
indiscretion  of  Colonel  Wilkinson  and  the  tact  and  dignity 
of  Washington.  Since  then,  Gates  contented  himself  with 
opposing  Washington  indirectly  whenever  he  could.  Thus, 
at  the  end  of  January,  1778,  he  induced  Congress,  without 
communicating  with  the  commander-in-chief  or  asking  his 
opinion,  to  decide  upon  a  winter  campaign  into  Canada,  under 
the  lead  of  Lafayette  and  Conway.  The  plan  was  well  con- 
ceived. In  view  of  the  nationality  of  the  Canadians,  and  of 
their  natural  relations  to  France,  the  success  of  the  American 
arms  was  far  more  probable  under  the  direction  of  those  who 
were  Frenchmen  by  birth  and  French  officers  by  education, 
than  under  the  management  of  Americans,  unacquainted  even 
with  the  language  of  the  country.  But  under  this  smooth 


150  LIFE   OF   KALI;. 

exterior  lurked  the  design  of  gaining  over  Lafayette,  and 
with  him,  if  possible,  all  the  French  officers,  to  the  interests 
of  Gates  and  Conway.  The  young  marquis  could  not  have 
been  more  effectually  conciliated.  Vain  and  greedy  of  ap- 
plause, he  longed  for  an  opportunity  of  distinction.  The 
expedition  to  Canada,  invested  with  a  certain  romantic  halo 
from  the  adventurous  march  of  Arnold  and  the  heroic  death 
of  Montgomery,  two  years  before,  promised  a  more  than 
ordinary  crop  of  honors.  He  was  especially  delighted  at 
the  idea  of  expelling  the  tyrannical  and  natural  enemies 
of  his  country,  "  the  English,  out  of  the  lands  they  have 
taken  from  us  (the  French),  and  of  imparting  to  the  Cana- 
dians a  share  of  the  liberties  of  the  thirteen  States.  How 
happy  I  would  be,"  Lafayette  continues,  "  had  I  the  satisfac- 
tion of  being  an  instrument  of  such  a  revolution.  My  love 
for  the  freedom  of  mankind  in  general,  and,  in  this  particular 
instance,  my  consanguinity  with  the  Canadians  and  the  name 
of  Frenchman  I  am  honored  with,  will  be  sufficient  proofs. 
If  I  had  believed  that  I  am  not  sent  for  doing  good  and  right 
to  the  Canadians,  then  I  should  not  have  hesitated  an  instant 
to  decline  this  commission  ;  but  as  I  am  fully  convinced  that 
I  would  promote  their  happiness  as  well  as  the  advantage 
of  the  United  States,  I  shall  undertake  it  with  the  greatest 
cheerfulness,  if  those  measures  are  taken  which  I  think 
proper  to  succeed." '  Nevertheless  he  marred  the  plot  of 
the  clique,  as  a  man  of  a  high  sense  of  honor,  and  of  a  devo- 
tion to  Washington  far  greater  than  the  adversaries  of  the 
latter  had  imagined.  It  was  only  upon  consultation  with, 
and  under  the  sanction  of,  the  commander-in-chief,  that  La- 
fayette accepted  the  command,  and  then  on  the  express  con- 
ditions that  Kalb,  and  not  Conway,  should  be  his  associate. 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  151 

"  I  had  desired  McDougall,"  Lafayette  continues  in  his 
above-quoted  letter  of  January  31,  1778,  to  Congress;*  "not 
that  I  am  very  intimately  acquainted  with  him,  but  by  the 
knowledge  I  have  of  his  rigid  and  imperturbable  virtue.  The 
state  of  his  health  would  not  permit  his  going  now  in  so 
cold  a  country.  But  there  is  the  Baron  de  Kalb,  who  has 
seen  more  wars  than  any  other  officer  in  the  continent,  who 
came  over  with  me,  who,  if  I  was  to  point  out  any  of  the 
general  officers  who  are  to  be  in  that  expedition,  had  an  in- 
dubitable right  to  my  mentioning  his  name.  He  desires  to 
come  with  me  ;  he  will  be  much  more  useful  to  America  if  he 
is  employed  there.  I  take  the  liberty  of  recommending  him 
in  the  most  strongest  terms,  not  at  all  because  there  where 
are  more  than  two  brigadiers — it  seems  there  should  be  two 
major-generals — but  because  I  think  very  firmly  that,  for  the 
good  of  the  service  and  the  success  of  the  enterprise,  it  is  of 
the  highest  importance  and  of  an  absolute  necessity."  Con- 
gress yielded  this  point,  so  that  Conway,  being  junior  to 
Kalb,  was  indirectly  shelved. 

According  to  the  plan  marked  out  by  Gates  himself,*8 
the  expedition  was  to  consist  of  2,500  men,  to  rendezvous  at 
Bennington,  and  to  march  over  the  ice  of  Lake  Champlain, 
upon  St.  Johns  and  Montreal.  Arriving  at  one  of  these  points, 
Lafayette  was  directed  to  acquaint  the  Canadians  with  his  in- 
tentions, and  to  invite  them  to  enter  the  Union  army.  In 
case  public  sentiment  should  not  manifest  itself  unequivocally 
in  favor  of  the  Union,  Lafayette  was  to  call  upon  the  people 
of  Canada  to  observe  a  strict  neutrality.  If,  however,  he 
should  encounter  an  unexpected  resistance,  or  general  disaf- 
fection, he  was  to  destroy  all  the  wharves  and  vessels  at  St. 
*  Literal  copy. 


152  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Johns,  Chamblee,  and  the  Isle  aux  Noix,  and  to  retreat  by  the 
most  available  route  to  Saratoga  and  the  advanced  ports  on 
Wood  Creek  and  Hudson  River.  But  in  case  the  Canadians 
should  be  filled  with  a  desire  to  assist  at  the  establishment  of 
American  liberty  and  independence,  it  would  become  Lafay- 
ette's especial  duty,  not  only  to  solicit  their  adherence  to  the 
United  States,  and  to  send  delegates  to  Congress,  but  also  to 
call  upon  him  to  accept  the  paper  money  issued  by  him.  If 
he  should  penetrate  to  Montreal,  the  capture  of  which  was 
the  main  purpose  of  the  expedition,  he  was  to  possess  himself 
of  all  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war.  Lafayette  quitted  the 
camp  on  the  7th  of  February,  1778,  followed  by  Kalb  on  the 
16th  of  the  same  month.  His  route  lay  through  Pennsylva- 
nia and  New  York  over  ice  and  snow,  or  impassable  roads, 
over  which  he  travelled  alternately  on  horseback  or  by  sleigh, 
so  that  it  was  not  before  the  24th  of  the  month  that  he  reached 
Albany.  Here  Kalb  was  rewarded  for  the  hardships  of 
the  journey  by  excellent  quarters.  Little  as  he  usually  heed- 
ed such  matters,  he  yet  records  with  great  satisfaction  on  this 
occasion,  that  in  Albany  he  slept  without  his  clothes,  for  the 
first  time  since  the  14th  of  October,  the  day  of  his  arrival  in 
camp. 

It  was  but  too  soon  apparent  that  the  entire  expedition 
had  been  inaugurated  without  a  proper  calculation  of  the  re- 
sources at  command.  Conway,  who,  at  the  instigation  of  his 
friend  Gates,  reached  Albany  even  before  Lafayette,  and  was 
to  hand  him  his  instructions,  had  scarcely  arrived  before  he 
declared  the  march  to  Canada  an  impossibility.  Generals 
Schuyler,  Lincoln,  and  Arnold,  well  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try, and  with  the  spirit  of  their  own  people  as  well  as  with 
that  of  the  Canadians,  were  of  the  same  opinion  ;  and  if  Lafay- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  158 

ette  at  first  clung  fondly  to  the  hope  of  overcoming  all  ob- 
stacles, Kalb  had  been  on  the  spot  but  a  few  days,  when  he 
was  convinced  of  the  impracticability  of  the  undertaking.  In- 
stead of  the  2,500  men  which  had  been  promised,  they  found, 
at  Albany,  Schenectady,  Johnston,  and  the  neighboring  towns, 
scarcely  1,200  soldiers,  suffering  for  want  of  indispensable 
necessaries,  and  insufficiently  clothed  and  equipped  even  for  a 
summer  campaign.  General  Stark,  who,  as  Gates  had  boast- 
ed, would  probably  have  burned  the  English  flotilla  even 
before  Lafayette's  arrival,  had  not  a  single  man  under  his 
orders,  and  began  by  asking  Lafayette  how  many  troops  he 
wanted,  and  for  what  period  he  wished  them  to  be  raised.80 
There  was  on  all  hands  a  lack  of  money,  supplies,  men,  and 
even  good  will,  so  that  with  the  utmost  exertions  of  Kalb  and 
Lafayette  too  much  time  indispensably  needed  for  the  march 
itself  would  have  been  consumed  in  preparation. 

Under  these  circumstances  Kalb  advocated  an  immediate 
return  to  camp ;  but  the  month  of  March  passed  away  before 
he  and  Lafayette  could  set  out  on  their  journey.  Besides  the 
considerations  which  grew  out  of  the  merits  of  the  case,  Kalb 
had  personal  reasons  for  disliking  the  enterprise.  His  posi- 
tion, in  consequence  of  the  course  pursued  by  Conway,  was 
extremely  disagreeable.  The  latter  reiterated  his  former 
grievances,  complained  of  being  placed  under  the  orders  of  one 
who  had  been  his  subordinate  in  France,  and  asked  to  be  re- 
called, or  transferred  to  Rhode  Island.  We  have  seen  above 
what  was  the  true  state  of  the  case  in  reference  to  his  alleged 
seniority  in  the  French  army.  But  what  especially  stamps 
Con  way's  remonstrances  as  emanations  of  mere  personal  in- 
trigue or  mortification,  is  the  circumstance  that  he  had  no  ob- 
jections to  make  to  Lafayette's  command-in  chief,  though 
7* 


154  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

that  nobleman  had  been  but  a  lieutenant  in  France,  and  there- 
fore a  great  deal  further  beneath  him  in  dignity.  The  true 
motive  must  lie  beneath  the  surface.  Lafayette  was  not  to  be 
assailed,  because  Gates  himself  desired,  by  so  flattering  an  ex- 
pression of  confidence  as  was  involved  in  giving  him  the  chief 
command,  to  draw  him  over  to  his  side,  and  then,  through 
Con  way's  influence,  to  attach  him  to  the  interests  of  the 
clique.  But  by  making  Kalb  the  adviser  of  Lafayette  and 
the  virtual  military  director  of  the  enterprise,  to  which  the 
marquis  merely  lent  his  name,  all  the  brilliant  projects  of  the 
conspirators  for  the  seduction  of  the  foreign  officers  were 
dispelled.  This  circumstance  explains  the  bitterness  which 
runs  through  the  letters  of  Conway  and  his  friends. 

"  I  hear  that  General  Kalb,"  writes  Conway  to  Gates, 
from  Albany,  February  24,  1778,"  "is  coming  to  this  place; 
he  is  my  inferior  in  France,  and  it  would  be  disagreeable  for 
me  to  find  myself  under  his  orders ;  besides  I  do  not  think  that 
there  is  any  occasion  for  three  major-generals  to  command 
the  few  troops  in  this  quarter.  I  wish  you  would  let  me  know 
the  intentions  of  Congress  concerning  me,  whether  I  am  to 
serve  here  or  with  General  Putnam  or  on  Rhode  Island. 

"  General  de  Kalb,"  Conway  continues  on  February  25, 
"  is  just  now  arrived.  I  am  sure  he  was  not  sent  by  you, 
but  by  Marquis  de  Lafayette.  I  could  understand  that  he 
was  induced  to  call  for  Baron  de  Kalb  because  the  people 
whom  you  guess  and  whom  I  do  not  choose  to  blame,  ex- 
pected that  Baron  de  Kalb's  arrival  here  would  give  me  a 
disgust.  In  this  they  have  guessed  very  right ;  however,  I 
solemnly  declare  that  I  am  ready  to  serve  this  cause  to  which 
I  have  devoted  myself  in  any  part  of  the  continent  where  I 
will  be  thought  useful." 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  155 

While  Conway  confines  himself  to  covert  allusions,  Rob- 
ert Troup,  his  friend,  and  Gates'  aid,  is  far  more  explicit. 
"  General  Conway,"  writes  Troup  to  his  general, "  is  sorry  that 
Baron  de  Kalb  has  been  thought  of  for  reasons,  I  dare  say, 
you  are  acquainted  with.  The  baron  was  of  inferior  rank  to 
him  in  France,  and  he  would  injure  himself  in  the  eye  of  that 
nation  if  he  were  to  serve  under  him  in  America.  I  confess 
this  reason  has  much  weight  with  me,  and  I  ain  convinced 
you  will  not  deem  it  improper. 

"  But  what  is  of  more  consequence,  is  the  service  General 
Conway  has  rendered  this  country  since  his  arrival  in  Amer- 
ica. I  will  forbear  repeating  the  many  parts  of  his  history 
which  stamp  his  character  as  a  man  of  military  abilities, 
valor,  and  attachment  to  the  States.  What  can  we  say  of 
Baron  Kalb  ?  He  never  distinguished  himself  in  any  action  with 
our  army.  He  has  never  proved  himself,  in  my  opinion,  a  man  of 
extraordinary  talents.  Why,  then,  should  he  be  preferred  to 
Conway? 

"  I  only  suggest  these  hints  to  show  you  the  impropriety  of 
sending  Kalb  to  the  northward.  I  am  convinced  General 
Conway  will  never  be  commanded  by  him,  and  a  dispute  in 
Canada,  about  rank,  would  be  attended,  in  all  probability, 
with  insuperable  difficulties. 

"  I  wish,  therefore,  some  mode  could  be  adopted  to  prevent 
the  mutiny  of  these  two  gentlemen.  I  would  rather  lose  a 
dozen  Kalbs  than  one  Conway.  You  may  rest  assured  that  I 
shall  endeavor  to  promote  friendship  and  good  understand- 
ing between  the  several  officers  who  are  to  be  employed  in 
this  expedition. 

"  Upon  my  arrival  in  Albany  I  shall  speak  to  the  quarter- 
master and  commissary,  and  spur  them  on  in  the  execution 
of  their  duty. 


156  LIFE    OF    KALE. 

"  General  Conway  believes  that  the  cabal  at  headquarters 
want  the  marquis  to  take  Kalb  in  order  to  prevent  bis  doing 
anything  that  won't  contribute  to  his  own  honor  or  the  in- 
terest of  the  States." 

It  is  interesting  to  see  that  the  clique  of  Gates  and  Con- 
way,  judging  the  commander-in-chief  by  their  own  base  stand- 
ard, took  for  granted  that  Washington  and  his  friends  were 
engaged  in  a  cabal  which  really  had  no  existence ;  as  matters 
stood,  however,  it  is  certainly  fortunate  that  the  march  to 
Canada  was  not  attempted,  because  even  the  slighest  bicker- 
ings brought  on  by  Conway,  would  have  been  attended  by 
the  most  disastrous  consequences.  Congress  themselves 
were  at  length  convinced  that  the  plan  was  not  feasible,  and 
renounced  it  by  a  formal  resolution,  directing  Washington  to 
recall  Kalb  and  Lafayette  to  headquarters,  as  their  presence 
was  indispensably  required  there. 

"  How  happy  I  have  been,"  writes  Lafayette  from  Albany, 
March  25,  1778,  to  Washington,  "in  receiving  your  Excellen- 
cy's favor  of  the  10th  present.  I  hope  you  will  be  convinced 
by  the  knowledge  of  my  tender  affection  for  you.  I  am  very 
sensible  of  that  goodness  which  tries  to  dissipate  my  fears 
about  that  ridiculous  Canadian  expedition.  At  the  present 
time  we  know  which  was  the  aim  of  the  honorable  Board, 
and  for  which  project  three  or  four  men  have  rushed  the 
country  into  a  great  expense,  and  risked  the  reputation  of  our 
army,  and  the  loss  of  many  hundred  men,  had  the  general, 
your  deceived  friend,  been  as  rash  and  foolish  as  they  seem 
to  have  expected.  O  American  freedom  !  what  shall  become 
of  you  if  you  are  in  such  hands  ? 

"  I  have  received  a  letter  from  the  Board,  and  a  resolve  of 
Congress,  by  which  you  are  directed  to  recall  me  and  the 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  157 

Baron  de  Kalb,  whose  presence  in  deemed  absolutely  necessary 
to  your  army.  I  believe  that  of  General  Conway  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  Albany,  and  he  has  received  orders  to  stay  there, 
which  I  have  no  objection  to,  as  nothing  perhaps  will  be  done 
in  this  quarter  but  some  disputes  of  Indians  and  Tories. 
However,  you  know,  I  have  wrote  to  Congress,  and  as  soon 
as  this  leave  will  come,  I  shall  let  Conway  have  the  command 
of  these  few  regiments,  and  I  shall  immediately  join  my  re- 
spectable friend  ;  but  till  I  have  received  instructions  for 
leaving  this  place  from  yourself,  I  shall  stay,  as  powerful 
commander-in-chief,  as  if  Congress  had  never  resolved  my  pres- 
ence absolutely  necessary  for  the  great  army." 

Washington's  directions,  to  the  same  effect,  anticipated 
Lafayette's  despatch,  and  reached  Albany  the  day  after  the 
departure  of  the  latter.  Lafayette  and  Kalb  immediately 
set  out  on  their  return.  The  latter  left  the  29th  of  March, 
rode  down  the  Hudson  to  New  Windsor,  and  then  struck  a 
westward  course  through  the  States  of  New  York  and  Penn- 
sylvania, to  Lancaster,  where  he  arrived  early  in  April,  and 
enjoyed  some  weeks  of  repose  before  returning  to  the  army 
at  Valley  Forge. 

His  return  to  headquarters  was  immediately  followed  by 
news  of  the  defensive  and  offensive  alliance  concluded  be- 
tween France  and  the  United  States,  on  the  6th  of  February, 
1778. 

The  commander-in-chief  assigned  the  6th  of  May  for  the 
solemn  celebration  of  an  event  so  important  and  so  joyful  to 
this  country.  In  consequence  of  Steuben's  unwearied  labors 
the  army  was  able  to  execute  a  grand  manoeuvre,  on  which 
occasion  it  was  commanded  by  Kalb  in  the  centre,  while 
Lord  Stirling  led  the  right  and  Lafayette  the  left  wing.*4 


158  LIFE     OF     KALB. 

But  let  us  hear  Kalb's  own  account  of  the  day's  festivities, 
and  of  the  events  thereby  commemorated. 

"The  alliance,"  he  writes  to  his  wife  on  the  12th  of  May 
1778,'" is,  on  the  part  of  the  King  of  France,  so  rational, 
and  so  generous  beyond  all  expectation,  that  it  has  won  him 
the  hearts  even  of  those  who  loved  him  but  little  before. 
At  the  same  time,  it  may  be  said  that  this  act  of  magnanim- 
ity is  none  the  less  a  movement  of  the  most  subtle  policy, 
which,  quite  apart  from  the  glory  reflected  upon  the  king 
and  his  ministers,  will  prove  of  infinite  commercial  advan- 
tage to  the  French  people.  No  means  could  have  been  better 
adapted  to  bruise  the  colossal  power  of  England,  and  to 
snatch  this  great  country  forever  from  its  allegiance.  The 
treaty  reflects  the  highest  credit  on  M.  Gerard,  who  was  in- 
trusted with  its  negotiation.  His  name  will  be  inscribed 
upon  the  annals  of  this  new  empire  by  the  side  of  Louis 
XVI.,  as  the  interpreter  of  the  high-hearted  sentiments  of 
that  noble  monarch,  to  whom  this  immense  continent  owes 
its  liberty  and  happiness. 

"  The  solemnities  arere  opened  with  divine  worship  at  the 
head  of  each  brigade.  Then  followed  three  volleys  of  artil- 
lery, each  of  thirteen  guns,  and  each  succeeded  by  a  round 
of  cheers,  of  which  the  first  was  in  honor  of  the  King  of 
France,  the  second  in  honor  of  the  European  powers  friendly 
to  America,  and  the  third  in  honor  of  the  United  States. 
The  commander-in-chiel  gave  a  grand  banquet  in  the  camp. 
Fifteen  hundred  persons  sat  down  to  the  tables,  which  were 
spread  in  the  open  air.  All  the  officers  with  their  ladies,  an  1 
the  prominent  people  of  the  neighborhood,  were  invited. 
Wine,  meats,  and  liquors  abounded,  and  happiness  and  con- 
tentment were  impressed  on  every  countenance.  Number- 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  159 

less  hurrahs  were  given  for  the  King  of  France,  and  the 
French  officers  had  no  small  share  in  the  honors  of  the  occa- 
sion. It  was  a  fine  day  for  us,  and  a  great  one  for  General 
Washington.  Let  me  say  that  no  one  could  be  more  worthy 
of  this  good  fortune.  His  integrity,  humanity,  and  love  for 
the  just  cause  of  his  country,  as  well  as  his  other  virtues, 
receive  and  merit  the  veneration  of  all  men.  A  French  sol- 
dier had  been  condemned  to  death  by  a  court-martial  just 
before  the  festival.  The  marquis  and  I  sued  for  pardon  to 
the  guilty.  The  commanding  general  answered  that  on  a 
day  dedicated  to  the  gratitude  owing  by  America  to  the 
King  of  France,  he  could  not  refuse  French  officers  a  boon, 
and  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  pardon  all  other 
criminals  at  the  same  time." 

The  French  alliance  was  a  stimulus  to  the  spirit  of  the 
soldiers  no  less  than  to  that  of  the  officers.  In  consequence 
of  it  a  council  of  war,  convened  on  the  8th  of  May,  1778, 
was  attended  by  Generals  Greene,  Gates,  Lord  Stirling, 
Mifflin,  Lafayette,  Steuben,  Armstrong,  and  Kalb.  It  was 
called  upon  by  the  commander-in-chief  to  decide  the  ques- 
tion eb  what  measures  ought  to  be  adopted,  and,  particularly, 
whether  a  movement  on  Philadelphia  was  then  advisable  ? 
As  the  objections  and  obstacles  which  had  weighed  in  oppo- 
sition to  offensive  operations  the  preceding  November,  were 
still  in  full  force,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  to  await  the 
further  development  of  events,  which,  in  effect,  induced  the 
English  to  evacuate  Philadelphia  of  their  own  accord  a  few 
weeks  after. 

Until  that  time  the  American  troops  remained  quiet  in 
their  camp  at  Valley  Forge.  The  independence  of  the 
United  States  being  now  assured  by  the  French  alliance,  the 


160  LIFEOFKALB. 

oath  of  allegiance  was  once  more  exacted,  and  was  admin- 
istered by  Kalb  to  the  brigadiers  Glover  and  Larned.  He 
was  himself  sworn  on  the  12th  of  May,  1778  ;  "  a  proof  that 
at  that  time  he  had  renounced  all  idea  of  a  speedy  return  to 
France. 

Such  was  the  fact.  "  But  for  the  late  treaty,"  he  writes 
to  his  wife  on  the  25th  of  May,  1778,  "I  should  have  re- 
turned to  you  ere  this.  Now  I  cannot  and  will  not  do  it  for 
various  reasons,  two  of  which  I  shall  here  specify.  In  the 
first  place,  war  between  England  and  France  having  become 
inevitable,  should  I  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  English  while 
at  sea,  my  treatment  would  be  that  of  a  French  prisoner  of 
war,  possibly  without  a  claim  to  being  exchanged,  inasmuch 
as  I  should  have  left  America  without  authority  from  my 
own  Government.  In  the  second  place,  the  alliance  with  the 
United  States  retransforms  me  from  an  officer  on  two  years' 
furlough  into  a  general  of  the  French  army  with  the  same, 
if  not  a  better  title  to  promotion  than  if  I  had  never  quitted 
France.  Henceforward,  therefore,  I  shall  only  return  by  the 
express  command  of  the  minister." 

In  the  succeeding  events  of  the  war,  the  evacuation  of  the 
camp  at  Valley  Forge,  the  entry  of  the  American  army  into 
Philadelphia,  and  Washington's  march  through  New  Jersey, 
Kalb  did  not  participate,  as  he  was  seized,  in  the  beginning 
of  May,  with  a  violent  fever,  which  brought  him  to  the  verge 
of  the  grave,  and  confined  him  to  his  room  until  the  middle 
of  July.  The  latter  stages  of  the  disease  were  passed  at 
Philadelphia,  which  the  English  had  by  this  time  evacuated, 
and  where  a  fellow-German,  Dr.  Phyle  (Pfeil),  who  subse- 
quently became  his  intimate  friend,  tenderly  nursed  and  cared 
for  him.  After  his  recovery  Kalb  went  to  the  headquarters 


LIFE    OF    KALE.  161 

at  White  Plains,  twenty-five  miles  north  of  New  York  City, 
and  resumed  the  command  of  his  division.  It  was  Washing- 
ton's intention  to  shut  in  the  English  in  New  York  on  the 
land  side,  while  the  French  fleet  under  d'Estaing,  which  had 
just  arrived,  was  to  attack  this  important  base  of  the  hostile 
operations  from  the  rear,  and,  by  the  combined  operation 
of  the  two  forces,  to  oblige  the  English  army  to  surrender. 
The  plan  remained  unexecuted,  however,  because  the  pilots 
gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  the  depth  of  water  in  New  York 
Bay  was  not  suflicient  to  allow  the  larger  vessels  of  the 
French  squadron  to  mano3uvre  against  an  enemy.  D'Es- 
taing therefore,  in  pursuance  of  an  understanding  with  Wash- 
ington, sailed  for  Rhode  Island,  in  order  to  retake  that  island, 
which  had  become  highly  important  in  consequence  of  the 
fortifications  erected  by  the  English ;  an  enterprise  also 
thwarted  by  the  concurrence  of  a  number  of  unfavorable  cir- 
cumstances. 

Kalb  reckoned  firmly  on  the  triumph  of  the  Franco-Amer- 
ican arms,  and  confidently  expected  that,  by  a  series  of  ener- 
getic and  well-concerted  measures,  the  English  would  not 
only  be  worsted,  but  compelled  to  evacuate  the  American 
continent.  As  in  that  event,  which  for  a  time  he  regarded  as 
a  foregone  conclusion,  there  would  have  been  nothing  left  for 
him  to  do  in  this  country,  he  requested  his  wife,  in  writing  to 
her  from  White  Plains  on  the  14th  of  August,  1778,  to  apply 
to  his  old  commander  the  Due  deBroglie,  for  a  position  under 
him,  in  case  he  should  take  the  chief  command  of  the  French 
army  at  the  breaking  out  of  a  general  European  war,  then 
universally  expected. 

But  the  course  of  events  was  otherwise.  Neither  did  a 
general  war  break  out  in  Europe,  nor  was  America  destined 


162  LIFE     OP    KALB. 

to  be  so  soon  delivered  from  her  enemies.  The  English,  for 
the  present,  maintained  all  their  positions,  and  "Washington 
could  do  nothing  more  than  to  observe  them.  During  all  the 
month  of  August  Kalb  was  with  the  main  army  at  White 
Plains,  whence  they  decamped  only  on  the  16th  of  September, 
1778,  to  occupy  a  height  on  Fishkill,  near  the  Hudson,  where 
our  hero  remained,  with  a  few  short  interruptions,  until  the 
end  of  November.  The  camp  of  his  division  was  distant 
eleven  miles  and  a  half  from  the  Fishkill,  and  extended  along 
the  road  leading  thence  to  Sharon  and  Boston,  while  covered 
by  Fish  Creek  in  front.  Round  about  was  excellent  pasture 
for  horses."  As  the  two  armies  lay  opposite  each  other  in 
entire  inaction,  the  petty  war  of  outposts  or  against  maraud- 
ers and  robbers,  was  extremely  wearisome  and  exhausting, 
without  affording  the  slightest  satisfaction  to  the  military 
spirit  of  the  higher  grade  of  officers.  Under  these  circum- 
stances Kalb  would  gladly  have  accompanied  his  young  friend 
Lafayette,  who  went  to  Paris  to  spend  the  winter,  which  prom- 
ised to  pass  away  in  inaction,  and  that  only  the  express  desire 
of  the  Comte  de  Broglie  kept  him  with  the  army.  "  No  one," 
he  writes  to  his  wife  from  Fishkill  the  7th  of  October,  1778, 
"  has  better  reason,  and  a  more  ardent  wish  than  I  to  behold 
his  family  once  more,  and  no  one  makes  greater  sacrifices  to 
manifest  his  devotion  and  fortitude  in  the  king's  service. 
Since  France  has  interfered  in  the  war,  the  subjugation  of  the 
continent  by  the  English  is  out  of  the  question.  Possibly  they 
will  even  surrender  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  Long  Island, 
and  Staten  Island,  to  defend  their  own  country  and  their  re- 
maining colonies.  At  all  events  there  will  be  no  more  move- 
ments of  importance.  I  therefore  regard  the  war  as  ended, 
so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  having  no  disposition  to  do  battle 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  163 

against  the  savages  on  the  frontier.  As  often  as  a  Frenchman 
returns  home,  my  heart  is  ready  to  burst  with  homesickness. 
I  am  very  tired  of  the  war  here,  and  would  have  been  but 
too  glad  to  go  to  Paris  with  Lafayette.  Receive  him  kindly 
and  courteously,  and  thank  him  for  the  numerous  proofs  of 
regard  he  has  extended  to  me  since  the  beginning  of  our 
friendship.  I  shall  thank  him  as  long  as  I  live,  and  value  and 
esteem  him  most  highly." 

Lafayette  himself  did  not  set  out  so  soon  as  he  had  intend- 
ed. He  fell  dangerously  ill  about  the  middle  of  the  month, 
and  spent  several  days  with  Kalb  as  a  convalescent  about  the 
middle  of  November,  before  taking  leave  of  him,  on  the 
twenty-third,  to  set  sail  for  Boston.  The  two  friends  were 
not  to  meet  again. 

On  the  12th  of  October  Kalb  entered  upon  a  new  camp 
near  New  Hackensack,  about  fourteen  miles  northeast  of  the 
Fishkill,  because  he  found  the  fodder  for  his  horses  better  and 
more  plentiful.  His  division  was  distant  about  twenty-four 
miles  from  Washington's  headquarters.  The  latter,  dreading 
an  attack  of  the  English  upon  the  positions  of  the  American 
army  in  the  Highlands,  ordered  Kalb,  on  the  24th  of  October, 
to  retire  again  to  Fishkill,  in  order  to  be  nearer  to  the  sup- 
porting points  of  the  army,  and  the  intrenchments  on  the 
Hudson,  in  case  of  a  hostile  movement.  The  preparations 
and  embarcations  of  the  enemy  were  this  time,  however,  in- 
tended for  southern  points,  and  not  for  the  force  on  the  Hud- 
son. '"  This  morning,"  he  writes  on  the  25th  of  October,  "  I 
am  about  to  ride  to  headquarters,  at  the  invitation  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief,  to  discuss  the  plan  for  our  next  winter-quar- 
ters. A  good  sign.  I  do  not  yet  know  where  and  what  they 
will  be.  If  the  English  do  not  quit  their  positions,  we  shall 


164  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

most  likely  be  compelled  once  more  to  build  shanties,  as 
we  did  last  winter,  and  to  hold  out  in  them.  It  is  not  yet 
known  here  what  they  will  do.  I  have  been  of  opinion  ever 
since  last  May,  that  they  will  leave  the  United  States  entire- 
ly before  the  winter  sets  in."  However,  the  enemy  did  not 
change  his  position,  and  Kalb  was  consigned  to  four  additional 
weeks  of  inaction  in  his  old  camp  at  Fishkill. 

"  For  some  days  we  have  been  in  the  midst  of  winter,"  he 
writes  on  the  24tb  of  November  from  Newburg  on  the  Hud- 
son ;*"  "  it  is  snowing  fast,  and  it  is  by  no  means  agreeable  to 
sleep  out  of  doors,  even  under  tents.  The  service  is  severe, 
and  the  weather  is  raw.  Yesterday,  when  it  was  very  cold, 
I  crossed  the  Hudson  with  my  division,  and  shall  remain  in 
Newburg  until  the  arrival  of  the  prisoners  of  Burgoyne's 
army,  on  their  march  from  New  England  to  Virginia.  I  have 
orders  to  throw  out  six  detachments  to  conduct  them  to  the 
Delaware,  and  then  to  go  into  the  same  sort  of  winter-quar- 
ters in  the  woods  and  mountains  of  New  Jersey,  as  we  occu- 
pied last  winter  in  Pennsylvania."  "  Yesterday,"  he  contin- 
ues on  the  29th  of  November,  writing  from  his  camp  at 
Smith  Cove,  fourteen  miles  from  Newburg,  "  I  went  to  West 
Point  on  foot,  being  anxious  to  see  it  before  quitting  the 
Hudson  forever.  The  weather  was  splendid,  but  the  road 
contemptible.  I  had  to  choose  between  clambering  over  the 
rocks  and  wading  in  the  morass,  or  going  up  to  my  knees  in 
the  water.  I  returned  the  same  evening,  having  made  twen- 
ty-eight English  miles  in  all,  and  was  obliged  to  change  my 
guides,  as  those  who  set  out  with  me  w«re  too  much  fatigued 
to  go  back.  Never  in  my  life  have  I  made  so  fatiguing  a 
jaunt ;  I  hardly  felt  my  feet  at  last ;  but,  while  I  certainly 
•would  not  repeat  the  excursion,  I  am  very  glad  to  have  seen 
the  beautiful  West  Point." 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  165 

The  commander-in-chief,  whose  corps  embraced  Kalb's 
division,  which  consisted  of  the  Maryland  and  Delaware 
brigades,  readied  Middlebrook  in  New  Jersey  on  the  llth 
of  December,  and  there  went  into  winter-quarters,  whither 
Kalb  had  marched  from  Smith  Cove  on  the  4th  of  the  same 
month.  The  American  army  now  extended  in  the  form  of  a 
crescent  from  Danbury  in  Connecticut  to  the  Hudson  at 
West  Point,  and  thence,  by  way  of  Elizabethtown,  to  Mid- 
dlebrook. The  best  possible  protection  of  the  country,  the 
maintenance  of  the  important  military  positions  in  the  High- 
lands, the  security  and  discipline  of  the  troops,  and  the  cheap 
and  convenient  procurement  of  supplies,  \vere  the  leading 
objects  of  this  selection.7* 

Kalb  remained  at  Middlebrook  until  the  end  of  February, 
without  interruption,  and  without  being  greatly  edified  by 
the  monotony  of  camp  life.  It  was  not  alone  the  compul- 
sory idleness,  so  repugnant  to  his  disposition,  but  also  the 
enormous  expense  of  the  sojourn,  and  the  absence  of  all  sort 
of  congenial  fellowship,  which  embittered  his  long  winter 
evenings.  "I  had  resolved,  as  you  know,"  he  writes  to  his 
wife  about  this  time,  "  not,  under  any  circumstances,  to  con- 
sume any  part  of  my  private  property  while  serving  in 
America.  I  find  it  flatly  impossible  to  adhere  to  this  pur- 
pose. Everything  is  excessively  dear  at  this  place.  Al- 
though I  have  expended  nothing  for  clothes  or  linen,  my  pay 
is  not  sufficient  to  requite  my  servants  and  procure  the  eata- 
bles not  furnished  by  Congress,  such  as  coffee,  tea,  butter, 
sugar,  and  milk.  From  the  army  stores  we  draw  our  meat, 
candles,  bread,  barley,  soap,  etc.  The  consumption  of  meat 
is  almost  incredible.  It  is  impossible  to  habituate  the  people 
of  this  country  to  anything  like  order  or  regularity  of  living, 


166  LIFEOFKALB. 

and  equally  impossible  for  one  who  has  grown  up  in  the 
midst  of  order,  discipline,  and  punctuality,  to  accustom  him- 
self to  the  indolence  of  these  people.  Beside  my  three  ad- 
jutants and  the  officer  of  the  guard,  ten  servants  and  a 
number  of  mounted  orderlies  daily  eat  at  my  table.  Horses 
are  a  still  more  expensive  article.  Congress  supplies  me 
with  eight  team-horses,  but  the  generals  purchase  their  own 
saddle-horses,  which  are  excessively  dear.  In  spite  of  the 
greatest  economy,  I  am  therefore  spending  enormous  sums 
of  money.  Although  the  prices  of  all  necessaries  have  in- 
creased nearly  a  hundredfold  since  my  arrival  in  America,  I 
consider  it  beneath  my  dignity  to  apply  to  the  States  for  a 
subsidy.  I  might  prefer  the  request  to  the  king,  but  fear 
the  effect  of  such  a  step  on  my  promotion.  These  annoy- 
ances are  aggravated  by  the  mortifications  growing  out  of 
the  differences  in  manners  and  customs  between  Americans 
and  Europeans,  and  the  jealousy  of  the  native  against  the 
foreign  officers.  Scarce  one  of  the  latter  is  contented  with 
his  position.  There  is  not  a  second  lieutenant  who,  on  com- 
ing here,  does  not  expect  to  be  better  treated  than  all  the 
rest  of  his  countrymen.  I  studiously  avoid  entangling  my- 
self in  these  petty  bickerings,  but  it  it  is  sufficiently  disgust- 
ing to  be  told  of  them.  It  is  all  I  can  do  to  preserve  the 
peace  in  my  own  military  family."  "  I  wish  you  and  all  of 
you,"  thus  Kalb  concludes  his  New  Year's  salutation  to  his 
wife,  on  the  1st  of  January,  1779,  "  health,  contentment,  and 
happiness  for  the  coming  year ;  for  myself,  if  circumstances 
permit,  I  wish  a  happy  return  to  your  midst.  I  could  dis- 
course a  long  time  on  this  topic,  for  you  know,  better  than 
any  one  else,  what  a  sacrifice  I  make  in  this  long  absence 
from  you  and  the  children,  as  I  might  live  at  home  more 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  167 

} 

happily  and  peaceably  than  any  other  man  The  privations 
to  which  I  am  subjected,  the  extraordinary  exertions  inci-' 
dent  to  the  mode  of  warfare  and  to  the  variable  climate  of 
this  country,  the  frequent  movements  from  camp  to  camp, 
which  makes  rest  and  comfort  unattainable  even  in  winter, 
all  these  hardships  are  onerous  to  a  man  at  my  time  of  life, 
and  make  me  extremely  anxious  to  return.  I  have  no  just 
cause  of  complaint,  because  I  have  come  of  my  own  free  will. 
I  hope,  however,  that  the  king  and  his  ministers  will  give  me 
great  credit  for  having  remained  here  in  deference  to  their 
wishes,  exposed  to  every  vicissitude,  while  the  great  majori- 
ty of  the  French  officers  have  returned  home.  I  place  my 
trust  in  Providence  that  I  shall  be  spared  to  behold  again 
the  object  of  my  most  ardent  love,  and  all  that  can  tend  to 
make  me  happy  and  contented  for  the  rest  of  my  days.  For 
the  present  I  must  request  an  extension  of  my  two  years' 
furlough,  which  has  nearly  expired;  there  will  be  no  diffi- 
culty if  you  will  only  apply  to  the  Comte  de  Broglie." 

To  recruit  his  health  and  replenish  his  wardrobe,  Kalb 
went  to  Philadelphia  about  the  end  of  February,  1779,  and 
remained  there  until  the  30th  of  March,  when  he  returned  to 
the  camp  at  Middlebrook.  Here,  and  in  Boundbrook,  which 
is  close  by,  he  was  stationed  until  the  reopening  of  the  cam- 
paign in  the  beginning  of  June.  The  life  of  the  camp  was 
more  quiet  and  monotonous  than  ever.  Kalb  was  in  the 
habit  of  whiling  away  his  leisure  hoars  in  making  plans  for 
the  future.  As  Gerard,  the  French  envoy,  then  contemplat- 
ed returning  home,  Kalb  thought  of  applying  to  become  his 
successor,  and  repeatedly  commissioned  his  wife  to  enlist  the 
interposition  of  his  friends  with  the  minister.  But  the 
Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne  had  been  appointed  before  Gerard's 


168  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

departure,  t»o  tnat  KaiD  was  of  course  compelled  to  abandon 
the  idea. 

Before  setting  out  tor  the  Hudson  he  received  the  follow- 
ing letter  from  Paris,  from  the  Comte  de  Broglie,  the  only 
answer  vouchsafed  to  all  his  addresses  to  him.  While  it 
gave  Kalb  no  assurance  of  promotion  in  France,  it  is  evi- 
dence of  the  interest  taken  by  the  French  ministers  and  gen- 
erals in  the  progress  of  the  American  war,  and  as  such  may 
find  a  place  here.71 

"  Mme.  de  Kalb,"  de  Broglie  writes  on  the  31st  of  March, 
1778,  "has  forwarded  me  the  letters  with  which  you  have 
honored  me  from  time  to  time.  The  time  for  your  opera- 
tions in  the  field  has  arrived.  We  are  in  hopes,  here,  that 
the  weakness  of  the  English  at  the  isolated  points  of  the 
coast  in  their  occupation,  which  they  are  compelled  to  expose 
on  all  sides,  will  justify  the  American  troops  in  an  effort  to 
expel  the  enemy.  It  would  seem,  at  all  events,  that  they 
have  it  in  their  poAver  to  harass  and  enclose  him,  and  to  cut 
off  or  at  least  greatly  impede  his  supplies  and  forage.  I 
have  not  a  moment's  doubt  that  you  will  omit  no  opportu- 
nity of  explaining  to  the  leading  men  of  the  army  and  of 
Congress  the  views  of  what  is  judicious  and  practicable, 
which  you  are  so  well  qualified  to  impart.  Too  much  cannot 
be  done  to  make  them  understand  the  advantage  offered  by 
their  position,  if  they  will  make  the  efforts  fairly  to  be  ex- 
1  ected  of  them. 

"  I  need  not  go  into  details  with  you.  At  my  proposal 
to  the  Prince  de  Montbarey,  sanctioned  by  him,  he  permits 
you  to  use  the  cypher  concerted  between  you  and  me.  I  be- 
lieve you  will  receive  instructions  from  that  minister  in  re- 
lation to  the  plans  to  be  adopted  by  Congress,  or  at  least  in 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  169 

reference  to  that  portion  of  those  plans,  the  success  of  which 
your  counsels  can  assure. 

"  I  have  personally  discussed  this  matter  with  the  Prince 
de  Montbarey,  my  dear  baron.  The  minister,  who  is  ex- 
tremely well-disposed  to  you,  has  promised  me  to  include 
you  in  the  list  of  brigadiers  to  be  next  appointed  by  him, 
without  waiting  for  a  general  advancement.  I  have  assured 
him  of  your  gratitude,  and  doubt  not  that  you  will  make 
every  effort  to  give  fresh  proofs  of  your  devotion  to  the 
king's  service. 

"  As  I  have  not  kept  the  key  to  your  cypher,  be  pleased, 
hereafter,  to  communicate,  in  it,  directly  to  the  Prince  de 
Montbarey,  what  cannot  well  be  written  in  the  ordinary 
character.  I  heartily  desire  your  entire  good  fortune  ;  you 
know  how  deep  an  interest  I  take  in  your  welfare." 

That  these  promises  were  but  idle  words  we  shall  see  in 
the  sequel.  For  the  present  we  accompany  our  hero  to  the 
Hudson,  whither  he  marched  from  Middlebrook  with  his  di- 
vision on  the  3d  of  June,  1779,7*  to  cooperate  with  the  re- 
maining divisions  of  Washington's  army  in  preventing  the 
advance  of  the  enemy  into  the  Highlands.* 

*  The  Highlands  is  the  name  of  the  district  of  country  extending  along 
the  Hudson  from  Cornwall  to  Haverstraw,  so  called  on  account  of  the  moun- 
tains and  crags  here  overhanging  the  water. 

8 


CHAPTER    IX. 

CLINTON'S  PLANS  AT  THE  OPENING  OF  THB  SUMMER  CAMPAIGN  OF  1779. — HB 
TAKES  VERPLANK'S  POINT  AND  STONY  POINT  ON  THE  HUDSON. — WASHING- 
TOH  BAFFLES  HIS  ATTEMPT  ON  WEST  POINT. — KALE'S  DIVISION  WITH  THE 
MAIN  ARMY  AT  SMITH  COVE.  —  His  LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE.  —  DREARY 
PROSPECTS. — BOTH  ARMIES  SPEND  THE  SUMMER  IN  OBSERVING  EACH 
OTHER. — LABORIOUS  SERVICE — WAYNE  RETAKKS  STONY  POINT. — IMPOR- 
TANCE OF  THIS  SUCCESS  TO  THE  AMERICAN  ARMY. — THE  IMPRESSIONS  IT 

PRODUCED  ON  THE  FOREIGN  GENERALS  AND  ENVOYS. — KALE'S  DELIGHT  AT 
THE  VICTORY. — CAMP  IN  THE  WOODS. — CRUELTY  OF  THE  ENGLISH. — THEIR 
RAIDS  INTO  THE  COUNTRY. — WEIGHT  OF  KALE'S  TESTIMONY. — DINNER  AT 
KALE'S. — CELEBRATION  OF  THE  TAKING  OF  STONY  POINT. — A  BEAUTIFUL 
COMPARISON  FROM  THE  ^ENEID. — FLKURY'S  GALLANTRY. — KALE  POSTED 
ALL  SUMMER  AT  BUTTERMILK  FALLS. — STRKNGTH  OF  HIS  DIVISION. — INAC- 
TIVITY OF  BOTH  ARMIES. — PRIVATIONS. — WASHINGTON'S  INTENDED  AT- 
TACK UPON  NEW  YORK  FRUSTRATED  BY  D'ESTAING. — WINTER-QUARTERS 

AT  MORRISTOWN  NEW  JERSEY. SEVERE  WlNTER.  —  UNHEARD  OF  CflLD. 

CAMP  SUFFERINGS. — SCARCITY  OF  MONEY. — No  CRKDIT. — DEPRECIATION 
OF  PAPER  MONEY. — INACTION  WORSE  THAN  A  SEVERE  CAMPAIGN. — KALE'S 
ACCOUNT  OF  THE  STATE  •!•  THINGS. — RUDENESS  OF  THE  NATIVE  TO  THE 
FOREIGN  OFFICERS. — SMALLWOOD  AGAINST  KALE. — HOSTILE  MOVEMENTS 
o?  THE  ENGLISH  FROM  STATEN  ISLAND. — CORPS  OF  OBSERVATION  IN  NEW 
JERSEY,  FIRST  UNDER  ST.  CLAIR,  THEN  UNDER  KALE,  IN  MARCH,  1780. — 
FATIGTK  DUTY. — KALE'S  TACTICS  AT  THE  SETTING  IN  OF  THK  THAW. — 
WASHINGTON'S  LKTTKR  AND  OPPOSITE  VIEWS. — KALB  ORDERED  ELSE- 
WHERE ON  THE  3D  OF  APRIL. H£  IS  DESTINED  FOR  THE  SOUTH  WITH  HIS 

DIVISION  TO  THE  RELIEF  OF  CHARLESTON. 

r  I  iHE  English  General  Clinton  had  resolved  to  open   the 

-   campaign  of  1779  with  a  brilliant  coup  de   main,  for 

which  purpose  he  had  marched  up  the  Hudson  from  New 

York  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  in  order  to  fall  into  the  rear 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  171 

of  the  American  army,  posted  in  New  Jersey,  and  to  possess 
himself  of  the  hostile  forts  erected  in  the  Highlands,  particu- 
larly West  Point,  as  well  as  King's  Ferry,  the  only  remaining 
river  communication  between  the  Eastern  and  Western  forts. 
This  ferry  was  commanded  by  the  projecting  hills  at  the 
eastern  and  western  landing,  called  Verplank's  Point  and 
Stony  Point,  on  the  former  of  which  Fort  Lafayette  had  been 
erected,  while  the  latter  had  been  at  least  partially  fortified. 
Clinton,  however,  being  master  of  the  river  and  of  its  eastern 
bank,  found  little  difficulty  in  reducing  these  important  points 
which  opened  his  way  into  the  Highlands.  It  was  done  on 
the  1st  and  2d  of  June,  two  days  after  his  march  from  New 
York.  He  immediately  ordered  the  intrenchments  to  be  re- 
paired and  completed,  and  Stony  Point  to  be  strongly 
fortified. 

Washington  had  correctly  inferred  from  Clinton's  prepa- 
rations, that  it  was  the  design  of  the  latter  to  separate  and 
overwhelm  the  American  forces,  and  to  occupy  West  Point 
and  the  Highlands.  For  the  defence  of  Verplank  and  Stony 
Point  he  was  too  late,  as  his  army  did  not  leave  their  winter- 
quarters  at  Middlebrook  and  Boundbrook  before  the  day  of 
Clinton's  departure  from  New  York.  However,  he  baffled 
the  further  measures  of  the  English  commander  by  forced 
marches,  by  judicious  dispositions  of  his  troops  along  the  Hud- 
son, and  by  proper  reinforcements  sent  to  the  corps  immedi- 
ately threatened.  Before  Clinton  could  advance  upon  West 
Point,  McDougall,  the  commander  of  the  fort,  was  strength- 
ened, and  the  position  of  the  main  body  of  the  Americans  at 
New  Windsor,  close  by  West  Point,  and  at  Smith  Cove,  a  moun- 
tain pass  in  the  rear  of*  Havestraw,  so  effectively  supported 
that  he  could  not  risk  an  assault.  He  therefore  returned  to 


172  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

New  York,  whence  he  entered  upon  a  system  of  raids  and 
forays  into  Connecticut. 

Kalb,  with  his  division,  was  with  the  main  army  at  Smith 
Cove.  "  It  would  seem."  he  writes  from  that  point  to  his 
wife,  the  10th  of  June,  1779,"  "that  a  severe  and  exhausting 
campaign  is  before  us.  If  we  remain  here  much  longer,  we 
shall  be  compelled  by  want  of  forage  to  send  all  our  horses 
away  from  the  camp.  Had  we  but  a  fleet  in  the  bay  of  New 
York,  we  could  end  the  war  at  a  blow  by  an  attack  on  that 
city.  As  the  enemy  are  compelled  to  devote  almost  all  their 
attention  to  their  islands,  New  York  is  left  nearly  undefended 
toward  the  sea.  At  this  moment  the  British  have  but  one 
line-of-battle  ship  of  sixty-four  guns  between  Rhode  Island 
and  New  York,  and  but  four  frigates,  the  largest  of  which 
mounts  only  thirty-six  guns.  Four  French  sixty-fours  and  six 
frigates  would  command  the  entire  coast,  and  take  everything 
that  is  to  be  found  in  any  of  the  ports  occupied  by  the  enemy. 
Mention  these  facts  to  the  Comte  de  Broglie,  or  any  one  who 
takes  an  interest  in  the  triumph  of  our  arms." 

As  the  French  Government  failed  to  improve  this  oppor- 
tunity, while  the  Americans  alone  were  too  weak  to  avail 
themselves  of  it,  the  observing  attitude  of  both  armies  con- 
tinued unchanged  until  the  middle  of  July.  Kalb,  disheart- 
ened by  this  endless  delay  and  irksome  inaction,  would  gladly 
have  returned  to  France,  had  he  not  considered  himself  bound 
to  serve  in  the  American  ranks  by  the  known  intention  of  his 
furlough.  His  repeated  requests  to  be  recalled  and  promoted 
in  the  French  army  were  unnoticed,  and  for  this  reason  alone 
he  remained.  "  What  I  am  doing  here,"  he  writes  to  his  wife 
on  the  15th  of  July  from  Smith  Cove,'4  "is  extremely  dis- 
agreeable. Without  my  excellent  constitution  it  would  be 


LIFEOFKALB.  173 

impossible  to  bear  up  long  under  this  service.  Yesterday  I 
made  the  most  wearisome  trip  of  my  life,  visiting  the  posts 
and  pickets  of  the  army  in  the  solitudes,  woods,  and  mountains, 
clambering  over  the  rocks,  and  picking  my  way  in  the  most 
abominable  roads.  My  horse  having  fallen  lame,  I  had  to 
make  the  whole  distance  on  foot.  I  never  suffered  more  from 
heat.  On  my  return  I  had  not  a  dry  rag  on  me,  and  was  so 
tired  that  I  could  not  sleep.  My  temperate  and  simple  hab- 
its greatly  contribute  to  keep  me  in  good  health.  My  gen- 
eral health  is  very  good,  and  I  hardly  notice  the  annoyances 
of  camp  life.  Dry  bread  and  water  make  my  breakfast  and 
supper  ;  at  dinner  I  take  some  meat.  I  drink  nothing  but 
water,  never  coffee,  and  rarely  chocolate  or  tea,  in  order  to 
avoid  irritating  my  eyes,  which  are  the  more  useful  to  me  as 
my  four  aids,  partly  from  ignorance  and  partly  from  laziness, 
leave  the  writing  incident  to  the  service  unattended  to.  So  I 
am  compelled  to  do  it  all  myself,  while  they  cultivate  their 
digestions.  I  have  now  no  more  earnest  wish  than  soon  to 
see  you  and  the  children  again,  and  never  to  leave  you  more. 
If  our  separation  is  destined  to  be  of  any  advantage  to  us,  it 
is  dearly  paid  for." 

While  Clinton  ravaged  Connecticut,  Washington,  not  to 
be  lured  from  his  position  in  the  Highlands,  resolved  to  un- 
dertake the  recovery  of  Verplank's  Point  and  Stony  Point, 
which  had  been  strongly  fortified  by  the  English.  He  in- 
trusted General  Wayne  with  the  execution  of  the  plan 
against  Stony  Point,  which,  on  the  15th  of  July,  succeeded 
beyond  all  expectation.  Important  as  was  this  success  in  its 
practical  effects,  as  foiling  Clinton's  designs  on  the  upper 
Hudson,  its  chief  value  consisted  in  tlie  impulse  it  gave  to 
the  spirit  and  confidence  of  the  people,  and  the  proof  it  af- 


174  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

forded  that  the  American  generals  were  not  better  fitted  to 
make  dispositions  of  their  troops,  than  their  officers  and  men 
were  prompt  and  fearless  in  carrying  them  out.  It  was  par- 
ticularly the  foreign  generals  and  diplomatists  who  began, 
after  this  victory,  to  believe  in  the  possibility  of  a  successful 
issue  of  the  war,  achieved  by  the  arms  of  the  Americans 
themselves.  Steuben,  who  had  largely  contributed  to  the 
result  by  introducing  and  enforcing  the  use  of  the  bayonet 
in  the  Union  army,  pronounced  the  achievement  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  of  modern  warfare ;  Gerard,  the  French  am- 
bassador, is  convinced  that  it  will  greatly  enhance  the  opin- 
ion of  Europe  on  the  military  qualities  of  the  Americans ;  T* 
and  Kalb,  usually  so  calm  and  self-possessed,  is  lavish  in 
praise  of  Wayne  and  Fleury,  as  well  as  of  their  soldiers. 
On  the  18th  of  July,  1779,  from  his  bivouac  in  Deane's 
woods,  he  writes  to  his  wife  at  greater  length  about  the  tak- 
ing of  Stony  Point,  and  the  days  preceding  and  following 
that  exploit,  than  about  any  other  episode  of  the  war. 

"We  left  Smith  Cove,"  he  says,"  "on  the  16th  of  July, 
in  the  afternoon,  to  march  to  this  spot  over  roads  hardly  pass- 
able for  goats,  carrying  our  provisions  with  us.  We  are  now 
seven  miles  from  our  camp  and  five  miles  from  Fort  Mont- 
gomery on  the  Hudson,  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  and  sur- 
rounded by  crags.  We  have  kept  in  bivouac  for  two  nights, 
which  were  pretty  cool,  while  the  days  are  very  hot.  I  live 
on  cold  meat,  and  lie  at  night  upon  a  cloak -stuffed  with 
leaves.  I  expected  orders  to  advance  upon  Fort  Montgom- 
ery, to  cross  the  river  at  that  point,  and  form  a  junction  with 
the  other  troops  of  the  right  wing,  which  are  posted  above 
and  below  me.  It  seemed  to  me  probable  that  a  movement 
was  contemplated  against  the  hostile  posts  on  the  left  bank 


LIFE     OF    KALE.  175 

at  King's  Ferry,  Stony  Point,  on  the  right  bank,  having  bean 
carried  in  the  night  from  the  15th  to  the  16th  of  July,  and 
the  garrison  taken  prisoner.  This  Stony  Point  is  at  King's 
Ferry,  ten  miles  south  of  this  place,  and  fifty  miles  above  New 
York.  General  Clinton,  having  left  a  garrison  at  that  post, 
was  amusing  himself  in  the  Sound  and  in  Connecticut,  plun- 
dering, burning,  and  ravaging.  Fairfield,  Bedford,  Norwalk, 
New  Haven,  and  West  Haven  have  already  felt  his  rage. 
The  mode  of  warfare  here  practised  is  the  most  barbarous 
that  could  be  conceived ;  whatever  the  enemy  cannot  carry 
off  in  their  forays,  is  destroyed  or  burned.  They  cannot 
possibly  triumph  in  the  end.  Their  cruelty  and  inhumanity 
must  sooner  or  later  draw  down  upon  their  heads  the  ven- 
geance of  heaven,  and  blast  a  Government  which  authorizes 
these  outrages.  In  fact,  this  conduct  seems  to  be  the  con- 
sequence or  the  effect  of  threats  uttered  by  the  peace 
commissioners  who  were  sent  hither  last  year.  Finding  their 
overtures  rejected,  they  declared  that  as  America  was  dis- 
posed to  adhere  to  its  alliance  with  England's  natural  enemy, 
the  war  would  thenceforth  be  so  conducted  as  to  leave  the 
country  of  little  value  to  France.  It  were  to  be  wished  that 
France  would  retaliate  by  some  expedition  sent  to  burn  the 
towns  and  villages  on  the  English  coast,  as  it  is  the  league 
with  us  which  saddles  these  depredations  on  the  Americans." 
It  has  become  customary,  in  modern  times,  on  the  part 
of  English  writers  especially,  to  represent  these  acts  of  bar- 
barity as  trivial,  or  as  commanded  by  considerations  of  pol- 
icy ;  and  modern  historians  habitually  regard  the  complaints 
and  imprecations  of  the  Americans,  as  exaggerations  ema- 
nating from  those  who  have  been  specially  unfortunate. 
Kalb's  indignation  at  the  outrages  perpetrated  by  the  Eng- 


176  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

lish  on  their  expeditions  of  plunder  and  devastation,  is  the 
best  proof  that  the  acts  of  rapine  far  exceeded  the  average 
of  what  was  required  or  tolerated  by  the  warfare  of  the 
times.  A  French  officer,  who  had  assisted  at  the  invasion  of 
Germany  under  Richelieu  and  Soubise  in  the  Seven  Years' 
War,  had  enjoyed  opportunities  of  witnessing  the  almost  pro- 
verbial impositions  and  exactions  of  the  French  army,  and 
was  of  all  men  the  least  likely  to  be  squeamish  in  such  mat- 
ters, so  that  the  ordinary  grade  of  destruction  would  hardly 
have  attracted  his  attention.  How  far,  then,  must  the  brutali- 
ties of  the  English  have  gone,  if  even  Kalb  grows  sentimen- 
tal in  reciting  them,  and  invokes  the  wrath  of  heaven  upon 
their  heads. 

"  Yesterday,"  continues  the  same  letter,  "  I  was  reconnoi- 
tring all  day  in  the  vicinity  of  my  post,  of  course  on  foot ; 
I  must  repeat  the  same  operation  forthwith,  in  order  to  be 
familiar  with  my  position  by  dinner-time."  "  Though  very 
tired,  I  have  already  returned  from  my  excursion,"  he  con- 
tinues at  four  o'clock  of  the  same  day,  "and  have  just  dined. 
The  staff  officers  of  my  division  were  my  guests.  We  were 
all  very  hungry,  and  did  full  justice  to  the  mutton  and  beef 
which  constituted  the  repast ;  large  round  crackers  served  as 
plates,  in  the  absence  of  any  kind  of  crockery.  The  scene 
forcibly  reminded  me  of  the  conquest  of  Italy  by  ^Eneas, 
and  of  the  words  of  Ascanius,  when  they  had  reached  the 
future  site  of  Rome.  There,  too,  hunger  impelled  them  to 
devour  the  cakes  upon  which  their  food  had  been  set  before 
them,  and  recalled  the  oracle  of  the  harpies,  that  they  would 
not  reach  the  end  of  their  wanderings  and  toils,  nor  call 
Italy  theirs,  until  they  would  have  eaten  their  tables  with 
their  meals.  I  have,  unfortunately,  no  Ascanius  with  me, 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  177 

but  I  desire  most  ardently  that  my  fate  may  be  decided  as 
was  that  of  JEneas,  that  the  independence  of  America,  like 
the  conquest  of  Italy,  may  now  be  realized,  and  that,  after 
we,  too,  have  eaten  our  tables,  the  close  of  our  warfare  and 
our  toils  may  be  likewise  approaching." 

"  While  we  were  still  at  table,  a  letter  came  from  General 
Washington,  dated  the  16th  of  July  from  his  headquarters  at 
N"ew  Windsor,  in  which  I  receive  my  share  of  compliments 
for  the  valor  and  good  conduct  of  our  troops,  for  my  division 
was  also  represented  at  the  assault  on  Stony  Point  of  the 
previous  evening.  The  letter  put  our  whole  company  into 
excellent  humor,  though  of  course  we  had  been  longer  and 
better  acquainted  with  all  the  details  of  the  successful  coup 
de  main  than  the  General  himself.  I  drank  no  rum  as  the 
others  did,  yet  I  was  carried  away  by  the  same  enthusiasm. 
I  called  Mr.  Jacob,  and  told  him  to  bring  me  a  bottle  of 
champagne.  He  stared  at  me  in  astonishment,  saying  he 
had  none.  Then  there  must  be  some  port  wine  at  least  ? 
"  That  is  on  the  baggage  wagons,"  answered  Jacob.  I 
apologized  for  my  defective  memory,  and  was  sorry  to  have 
tantalized  the  company  with  delusive  hopes ;  but  they  were 
satisfied  to  take  my  good  will  for  the  deed.  I  promised  all  / 
my  guests  to  give  them  the  best  of  champagne  at  Paris,  and 
shall  be  delighted  to  keep  my  word. 

"  The  taking  of  Stony  Point  forms  an  epoch  in  the  history 
of  the  war  of  American  Independence,  because  it  was  on  this 
occasion  that  our  troops  first  ventured  to  attack  the  intrench- 
ments  of  the  enemy,  and  because  they  displayed  great  bravery 
in  doing  so.  The  action  lasted  only  twenty-five  minutes.  A 
hundred  or  a  hundred  and  twenty  of  the  British  were  killed 
or  wounded,  while  we  had  thirty  killed  and  sixty  wounded.  I 
8* 


178  LIFEOFKALB. 

mean  to  tell  the  truth,  in  spite  of  what  the  newspapers  will 
say  about  our  losses,  greatly  exaggerating,  of  coarse,  the 
number  of  the  fallen  foe,  and  cutting  down  our  own  casual- 
ties. But  I  am  unable  to  appreciate  the  subtlety  of  this 
system  of  lies  told  by  everybody  and  believed  by  no  one, 
and  prefer  to  comfort  myself  with  the  well-tried  proverb, 
"  On  nefait  point  cT  omelette,  sans  casser  des  ceufs"  Every 
cook  knows  that,  and  every  officer  knows  that  in  assailing  a 
post,  when  the  garrison  have  not  fallen  asleep,  lives  must  be 
lost.  It  is  odd  that  in  the  two  years  I  have  been  in  service 
here,  constantly  with  the  army,  the  troops  under  my  com- 
mand (and  I  have  always  had  very  strong  divisions)  have 
not  taken  part  in  any  battle  or  engagement,  and  that  I 
myself,  so  to  speak,  have  not  seen  a  gun  go  off.  Were  I  a 
braggart  I  might  go  on  to  say  that  since  I  have  been  with 
the  army  the  enemy  have  had  little  success,  and  that  they 
are  afraid  to  attack  us  because  they  know  I  am  here;  but 
the  coincidence  is  really  singular." 

On  the  21st  of  July  Kalb,  writing  from  Buttermilk  Falls, 
two  miles  south  of  West  Point,  concludes  this  report  by 
saying  :  "  I  marched  my  division  hither  yesterday  and  to-day, 
by  way  of  Fort  Montgomery.  Our  whole  army  has  been 
concentrated  here  and  in  this  neighborhood,  on  both  banks 
of  the  river,  since  the  day  of  Stony  Point.  The  storming 
of  that  work  seems  to  mortify  the  hostile  general  a  good 
deal.  He  has  come  up  to  King's  Ferry  with  a  numerous 
fleet,  and  appears  to  have  cannonaded  Stony  Point,  when 
destroyed  and  evacuated  by  our  forces.  Be  so  good  as  to 
tell  the  Comte  de  Broglie,  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fleury 
has  earned  great  renown  at  the  capture  of  that  point.  He 
took  two  stand  of  c  !ors  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  and 


LIFE    OF    KALE.  179 

it  was  he  who  tore  the  English  standard  from  the  walls.  I 
believe  he  will  be  permitted  to  keep  the  flag,  as  a  special 
mark  of  distinction." 

Kalb  remained  at  Buttermilk  Falls  during  the  summer 
and  autumn,  without  meeting,  in  the  course  of  these  four 
months,  with  any  memorable  adventure.  His  division  con- 
sisted of  one  regiment  from  Delaware  and  seven  from  Mary- 
land, and  was  divided  into  two  brigades,  of  which  the  first, 
under  Smallwood  comprised  the  First,  Third,  Fifth,  and 
Seventh  Maryland  Regiments,  while  the  second,  under  Gist, 
was  formed  of  the  Second,  Fourth,  and  Sixth  Maryland  and 
a  Delaware  Regiment.  All  the  troops  under  Kalb's  orders 
then  numbered  2,030.78 

As  the  entire  campaign  of  the  year  1779  is  marked  only 
by  the  operations  of  the  French  and  English  fleets  in  the 
West  India  waters,  and  is  characterized  in  other  respects  by 
the  utter  inactivity  of  the  opposing  forces,  so  the  American 
and  English  forces  on  the  Hudson  also  confined  themselves 
to  mutual  reconnoissances  and  observations.  Washington 
turned  the  time  to  good  account  by  having  his  troops 
instructed  and  reformed  by  Steuben,  by  fortifying  West 
Point  as  well  as  the  other  points  on  the  Hudson,  and  by 
making  Clinton  indisposed  to  operate  against  him  there. 
This  inaction  made  the  service  in  the  American  camp  not  a 
whit  the  less  fatiguing  and  irksome.  For  weeks  the  army 
lay  in  the  woods  without  their  baggage.  Often  there  was  a 
scarcity  of  the  most  needful  articles,  and  Kalb  relates  that 
for  a  whole  month  he  slept  on  the  bare  ground  or  in  his 
camp-stool,  without  however  impairing  his  health.  It  was 
only  at  the  arrival  of  the  Marquis  de  la  Luzerne,  the  new 
French  Ambassador,  that  every  effort  appears  to  have  been 


180  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

made  at  least  momentarily  to  mantle  the  prevailing  distress, 
and  to  dignify  it  with  an  air  of  Spartan  simplicity.  Kalb, 
who  had  served  with  Luzerne  under  the  Duo  de  Broglie  in 
the  Seven  Years'  War,  now,  on  the  15th  of  September,  1779, 
rode  eighteen  miles  to  meet  his  old  comrade  in  arms.  On 
his  arrival  at  the  camp  he  invited  him  to  dine  with  all  the 
American  generals,  and  afterward  bore  him  company  for 
twenty-eight  miles  on  his  journey  back  to  Philadelphia. 

Toward  the  fall  Washington  hoped  to  make  an  attempt 
upon  New  York,  in  concert  with  d'Estaing.  The  latter, 
however,  instead  of  going  to  New  York  at  once,  suffered 
himself  to  be  persuaded  by  Lincoln  to  storm  Savannah,  and, 
after  being  repulsed  by  the  English,  turned  back  his  ships 
partly  to  France,  and  partly  to  the  West  Indies. 

This  awkward  manoauvre  once  more  disconcerted  Wash- 
ington's favorite  project  of  a  descent  upon  New  York,  where 
Clinton  had  collected  all  his  forces,  prepared  to  give  him  a 
warm  reception.  Washington  now  resolved  to  give  up  all 
further  offensive  movements  for  that  season,  and  to  go  into 
winter-quarters.  For  this  purpose  he  formed  his  army  into 
two  divisions,  one  of  which,  under  Heath,  was  to  defend  the 
Highlands,  while  the  other,  with  whom  he  had  his  head- 
quarters, withdrew  to  Morristown  in  New  Jersey.  Kalb 
belonged  to  the  latter  body.  He  marched  from  Buttermilk 
Falls,  after  all  the  other  generals,  on  the  26th  of  November, 
and  reached  his  destination  after  a  toilsome  march  of  six  days. 

These  winter-quarters  at  Morristown  have  not  acquired 
the  same  gloomy  historic  renown  as  those  of  two  years  pre- 
vious at  Valley  Forge ;  but  in  reality  they  were  attended 
with  even  greater  sufferings.  True,  the  existence  of  the 
army  had  ceased  to  be  in  question.  The  troops  had  achieved 


LIFE    OP    KALE.  181 

some  successes,  had  learned  to  regard  themselves  as  a  united 
whole,  and  had  become  better  disciplined  and  consolidated  ; 
but  the  hardships  of  the  soldier  were  greater  than  they  had 
ever  been.  The  unusually  severe  winter,  which  lasted  from 
the  end  of  November  till  April,  and  even  made  the  ice  of 
New  York  bay  passable  for  heavy  ordnance  as  far  as  Staten 
Island,  made  it  impossible  to  bring  up  the  necessary  supplies. 
The  commissary  department  had  neither  money  nor  credit ; 
the  most  indispensable  articles  of  clothing,  such  as  blankets 
and  overcoats,  were  wanting,  and  the  troops  were  on  half 
and  quarter  rations  for  weeks.  Moreover,  in  the  absence  of 
gold  and  silver,  the  paper  issue  steadily  increased  in  quantity, 
and  of  course  sank  in  value.  This  depreciation  was  aggra- 
vated by  a  false  move  of  Congress,  in  giving  it  artificial  cur- 
rency, and  making  it  a  legal  tender  at  its  nominal  value. 
An  unparalleled  rise  in  the  price  of  all  the  necessaries  of  life 
immediately  ensued.  In  October,  1779,  twenty  dollars  in 
paper  had  been  equivalent  to  one  dollar  in  specie ;  in  April, 
1780,  the  proportion  was  forty  to  one.  The  army  being  paid 
in  paper  at  its  nominal  value,  it  is  easy  to  form  an  idea  of 
the  distress  prevailing  among  officers  and  privates.  The 
annual  salary  of  a  major-general,  which  nominally  amounted 
to  two  thousand  dollars,  was  really  little  more  than  fifty 
dollars. 

Under  these  circumstances,  with  the  exception  of  little 
foraging  expeditions,  an  enterprise  against  the  enemy,  or 
indeed  any  movement  in  the  open  field,  was  not  to  be 
thought  of.  All  that  Kalb  could  do  consisted  in  drilling  his 
division  when  the  weather  permitted,  and  in  reforming  them 
upon  the  plan  dictated  by  Steuben,  as  Inspector-General. 
On  the  other  hand,  nothing  is  better  adapted  to  afford  an 


182  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

impartial  view  of  the  condition  of  the  camp,  and  of  Kalb's 
personal  affairs,  than  the  description  of  himself  and  his  sur- 
roundings found  in  the  letters  then  addressed  to  his  wife  and 
European  friends.  We  take  the  liberty  of  compressing 
several  of  them  into  a  single  sketch.80 

"My  division,"  he  writes  in  December,  1779,  "left  West 
Point  on  the  26tb  of  November.  Our  march  lasted  six  days, 
and  traversed  a  country  almost  entirely  unpeopled  ;  it  proved 
fatal  to  many  of  the  soldiers,  in  consequence  of  the  cold,  the 
bad  weather,  the  horrid  roads,  the  necessity  of  spending  the 
night  in  the  open  air,  and  our  want  of  protection  against 
snow  and  rain.  We  are  here  going  into  winter-quarters  in 
the  woods,  as  usual.  Since  the  beginning  of  this  month  we 
have  been  busy  putting  up  our  shanties.  But  the  severe 
frost  greatly  retards  our  work,  and  does  not  even  permit  us 
to  complete  our  chimneys.  Winter  has  set  in  fiercely  ever 
since  the  end  of  November.  In  any  other  country  our 
repose  at  this  place  would  bear  the  name  of  an  arduous  cam- 
paign ;  it  is  really  worse.  It  may  truly  be  said  that  a  for- 
eign officer,  who  has  served  in  America  as  long  as  I  have, 
under  such  adversities,  must  be  either  inspired  with  bound- 
less enthusiasm  for  the  liberties  of  the  country,  or  possessed 
by  the  demons  of  fame  and  ambition,  or  impelled  by  an 
extraordinary  zeal  for  the  common  cause  of  the  king  and  his 
confederates.  I  knew,  before  I  came,  that  I  should  have  to 
put  up  with  more  than  usual  toils  and  privations,  but  I  had 
no  idea  of  their  true  extent.  An  iron  constitution  like  mine 
is  required  to  bear  up  under  this  sort  of  usage. 

"  It  is  so  cold,"  he  continues  in  February,  "  that  the  ink 
freezes  in  my  pen,  while  I  am  sitting  close  by  the  fire.  The 
roads  are  piled  with  snow  until,  at  some  places,  they  are 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  183 

elevated  twelve  feet  above  their  ordinary  level  The  present 
winter  is  especially  remarkable  for  its  uninterrupted  and 
unvarying  cold.  The  ice  in  the  rivers  is  six  feet  thick. 
Since  this  part  of  Am  erica  has  been  settled  by  Europeans, 
the  North  River  at  New  York,  where  it  is  a  mile  and  a  half 
wide  near  its  mouth,  and  subject  to  the  ebb  and  flow  of  a 
strong  tide,  has  not  been  frozen  over  so  fast  as  to  be  pass- 
able by  wagons.  Unfortunately  our  camp  will  suffer  even 
more  from  the  thaw  than  from  the  frost,  for  it  is  but  too 
much  exposed  to  inundation.  Those  who  have  only  been  in 
Valley  Forge  and  Middlebrook  during  the  last  two  winters, 
but  have  not  tasted  the  cruelties  of  this  one,  know  not  what 
it  is  to  suffer. 

"  The  times  are  growing  worse  from  hour  to  hour.  The 
dearth  of  the  necessaries  of  life  is  almost  incredible,  and 
increases  from  day  to  day.  A  hat  costs  four  hundred  dol- 
lars, a  pair  of  boots  the  same,  and  everything  else  in  pro- 
portion. The  other  day  I  was  disposed  to  buy  a  pretty  good 
horse.  A  price  was  asked  which  my  pay  for  ten  years 
would  not  have  covered.  Of  course  I  did  not  take  it,  and 
shall  try  to  get  along  with  my  other  horses.  Money  scatters 
like  chaff  before  the  wind,  and  expenses  almost  double  from 
one  day  to  the  next,  while  income,  of  course,  remains  sta- 
tionary. I  have  reduced  my  servants  to  the  smallest  number 
possible,  which  involves  no  great  self-denial,  as  almost  all 
servants  are  lazy,  addicted  to  drink,  and  unreliable.  The 
barber's  corny  ensation  would  at  present  consume  all  my  pay ; 
I  have,  therefore,  made  up  my  mind  to  shave  myself.  Being 
entirely  in  rags,  I  shall  go  to  Philadelphia  as  soon  as  I  can, 
to  purchase  new  clothes,  especially  linen.  The  American 
officers  have  this  advantage  of  us  foreigners,  that  they  can 


184  LIFE     OP    KALB. 

go  home  on  furlough,  and  there  recruit  and  reequip  them- 
selves. Besides,  they  are  assisted  by  their  respective  States 
with  additional  pay,  with  uniforms,  and  with  such  provisions 
as  Congress  does  not  furnish,  such  as  tea,  sugar,  coffee,  and 
chocolate.  The  foreign  officers  have  none  of  these  little,  but 
acceptable  privileges,  and  are,  moreover,  compelled  to  pay 
with  six  dollars  what  an  American  buys  for  one." 

In  order  to  exhaust  this  very  serious  matter  once  for  all, 
we  here  anticipate  our  recital  by  a  few  months,  and  insert  an 
extract  from  a  letter  written  by  Kalb  on  the  29th  of  May, 
1780,  to  his  friend  Holtzendorff,  from  Petersburg,  Virginia, 
when  on  his  march  to  the  South.  "  Provisions  and  other 
articles,"  he  says,  "  are  growing  dearer  and  dearer,  being 
now  double  what  they  were  a  year  ago,  even  if  paid  in  gold, 
one  dollar  of  which  is  now  equal  to  sixty  dollars  in  paper. 
My  march  costs  me  enormous  sums.  I  cannot  travel  with 
my  equipage,  and  am  therefore  compelled  to  resort  to  inns. 
My  six  months'  earnings  will  scarce  defray  the  most  indis- 
pensable outlay  of  a  single  day.  Not  long  since  I  was  com- 
pelled to  take  a  night's  lodging  at  a  private  house.  For  a 
bad  supper  and  grog  for  myself,  my  three  companions,  and 
three  servants,  I  was  charged,  on  going  off  without  a  break- 
fast next  day,  the  sum  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
The  lady  of  the  house  politely  added  that  she  had  charged 
nothing  for  the  rooms,  and  would  leave  the  compensation  for 
them  to  my  discretion,  although  three  or  four  hundred 
dollars  would  not  be  too  much  for  the  inconvenience  to 
which  she  had  been  put  by  myself  and  my  followers.  And 
these  are  the  people  who  talk  about  sacrificing  their  all  in 
the  cause  of  liberty !  Everything  else  is  in  proportion  to 
these  figures ;  an  ordinary  horse  is  worth  $20,000,  I  say 
twenty  thousand  dollars!" 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  185 

Even  more  annoying  than  this  disproportion  was  the  re- 

* 

volting  churlishness  often  practised  by  the  native  officers  to 
their  comrades  from  abroad,  in  the  distribution  of  the  State 
subsidies  above  mentioned.  A  story  of  this  kind  preserved  by 
Steuben,  places  the  grievance  of  Kalb  in  the  most  striking 
light.81  At  the  very  time  that  the  latter  commanded  the 
Maryland  division,  the  government  of  that  State  sent  a  stock 
of  coffee,  cognac,  tea,  and  sugar,  articles  then  entirely  out  of 
the  market,  and  therefore  doubly  prized  by  the  officers. 
When  the  box  arrived,  General  Small  wood,  a  brigadier-gen- 
eral, and  as  such  Kalb's  subordinate,  placed  a  watch  over 
the  supplies,  with  orders  to  allow  no  part  of  the  contents  to  go 
into  the  hands  of  General  Kalb,  his  superior,  on  the  ground 
that  one  who  was  not  a  Marylander  had  no  title  to  a  share  ! 

It  is  usually  said,  and  with  truth,  that  the  service  of 
princes  is  hard,  but,  judging  by  this  specimen,  European 
officers  must  have  found  the  service  of  liberty,  with  such 
comrades,  a  good  deal  harder. 

At  the  desire  of  General  Washington,  Kalb  postponed  his 
trip  to  Philadelphia  to  the  setting  in  of  the  thaw,  as  there 
was  but  one  major-general  in  camp  besides  himself,  and  as 
an  attack  upon  the  American  posts,  over  the  ice-bound  rivers 
and  bays,  might  be  expected  at  any  moment.  The  utmost 
vigilance  was  the  more  desirable,  as  the  English,  particularly 
in  the  month  of  January,  had  made  a  number  of  incursions, 
from  Staten  Island,  over  the  ice  of  the  Kill  van  Kull,  into 
Elizabethtown  and  Newark,  both  of  which  were  undefended, 
and  as  this  war  of  outposts  was  almost  disastrous  to  the 
American  troops.  To  prevent  the  recurrence  of  these  mis- 
haps Washington,  on  the  27th  of  January,  1780,  appointed 
General  St.  Clair  to  the  chief  command  of  a  corps  of  two 


186  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

thousand  men  stationed  there  to  repel  the  advance  of  the  ene- 
my.88 This  general  was  expected  not  only  to  defend  the 
camp  and  the  headquarters  at  Morristown  against  attack, 
to  cover  the  country  bordering  on  the  enemy's  lines,  and  to 
suppress  all  traffic  with  the  city  of  New  York,  but  also  to  as- 
certain the  position  and  the  posts  of  the  enemy  along  the 
coast  of  New  Jersey  and  Staten  Island,  and  in  short  to  insure 
the  safety  of  the  American  army.  The  task  was  equally  re- 
sponsible and  difficult,  and  was  well  and  efficiently  performed 
by  General  St.  Clair.  This  officer  having  received  a  furlough, 
Kalb  received  the  command  of  this  corps  in  his  stead,  on  the 
29th  of  February,  1780.  On  the  1st  of  March  he  repaired 
to  the  lines.  During  the  entire  month,  amid  cold,  snow,  and 
thaw,  he  had  the  hardest  duty  to  perform,  in  visiting  an  ex- 
tended line  of  posts,  reconoitring  his  positions,  supervising 
the  troops,  and  inspecting,  by  turns,  every  important  point 
of  the  line.  He  was  all  day  in  the  saddle,  and  moved  his 
quarters  back  and  forth  between  Amboy,  Elizabethtown, 
Newark,  Springfield,  Westfield,  and  Scotch  Plains,  and  every 
point  possibly  threatened  by  the  English  forces. 

When  the  frost  broke  up  in  the  month  of  March,  another 
line  of  tactics  was  required.  Kalb  was  anxious  to  guard  his 
position  against  attacks  by  water,  for  which  purpose  he  in- 
creased the  number  of  his  watch  boats,  and,  on  the  20th  of 
March,  wrote  to  Washington,  as  well  as  to  General  Greene, 
the  quartermaster-general,  to  procure  the  requisite  number 
of  boats. 

"  "  I  have  received  your  favor  of  yesterday,"  Washington 
writes  from  headquarter?,  Morristown,  March  21,  1780,  "en- 
closing a  letter  for  General  Greene,  which  I  shall  not  deliver 
to  him,  as  I  know  he  has  not  at  present  the  means  of  building 


LIFE    OF     KALB.  187 

the  boats  you  mention.  I  would  therefore  recommend  to 
you  to  put  out  the  best  of  those,  which  you  may  find  in  the 
several  rivers,  for  the  purpose  of  guard-boats.  Upon  refer- 
ring to,  and  considering  your  former  letter  upon  this  subject, 
I  am  of  opinion  that  the  stations  which  you  then  pointed 
out  will  be  dangerous,  so  far  as  they  respect  the  distance  be- 
tween Elizabethtown  and  AmBoy,  the  Sound  there  being  so 
exceedingly  narrow,  that  a  boat  pushed  suddenly  from  the 
opposite  shore  in  the  night  would  more  than  probably  take 
ours.  Besides,  I  do  not  think  we  are  to  look  for  a  de- 
scent in  any  considerable  force  from  that  quarter.  The  ene- 
my have  generally  hitherto  embarked  either  at  Long  Island 
or  upon  the  further  side  of  Staten  Island,  and  have  come 
through  the  Kills  and  across  Newark  Bay,  thereby  avoiding 
ail  discovery  from  this  shore,  which  they  would  be  subject 
to  anywhere  between  Elizabethtown  and  Amboy.  Newark 
Bay  is,  therefore,  in  my  opinion,  the  proper  and  the  safe 
place  for  your  guard-boats  to  ply.  It  is  of  considerable  ex- 
tent, and  a  fleet  of  boats  may  be  discovered  either  by  their 
working  or  by  sight  some  time  before  their  approach.  We 
have  found,  on  repeated  experiments,  that  the  inhabitants  will 
not  remove  their  stock  until  the  moment  of  danger ;  indeed,  at 
this  season  they  have  no  places  to  send  them  where  they  can 
be  supplied  with  food.  I  would  therefore  have  you  give  as 
general  information  as  in  your  power,  that  an  incursion  of 
the  enemy  may  be  expected,  and  recommend  to  the  people  to 
drive  back  their  stock  upon  the  first  communication  of  an 
alarm.  I  do  not  think  it  probable  that  the  enemy  will  put 
their  designs,  if  they  have  any,  into  execution  while  our  Com- 
missioners are  sitting  at  Amboy.  I  mention  this  as  a  matter 
of  opinion  only,  and  would  not  wish  you  to  relax  your  vigi- 


188  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

lance  on  that  account.  You  will,  no  doubt,  have  the  signal* 
in  the  uttermost  state  of  preparation,  and  keep  a  small  party 
stationed  with  alarm  guns  below  Chatham." 

After  the  receipt  of  this  missive  our  hero  remained  in 
command  of  the  lines  for  about  a  fortnight  longer.  As  both 
parties  refrained  from  acts  of  hostility  during  this  period,  the 
question  remained  undecided  whether  Washington's  or  Kalb's 
was  the  better  opinion.  On  the  3d  of  April  Kalb  was  relieved 
from  this  duty,  and  ordered  to  return  to  the  main  army, 
and  march  his  division  to  the  support  of  General  Lincoln, 
who  commanded  at  Charleston.  He  arrived  in  Morri&town 
on  the  4th  of  April,  and  left  on  the  5th  for  Philadelphia, 
where,  however,  he  arrived  only  after  a  wearisome  journey  of 
three  days,  to  enter,  without  delay,  upon  the  preparations  for 
his  Southern  expedition. 


CHAPTEK    X. 

THE  CAMPAIGN  IN  THE  SOUTH. — IMPORTANCE  OP  THE  SOUTHERN  STATES  TO  THE 
ENGLISH. — NEGLECT  OF  THEM  AT  THE  OUTSET. — CAPTURE  OF  SAVANNAH. — 
CLINTON  APPRKCIATES  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  CHARLESTON. — SAILS  THERK 
FROM  NEW  YORK,  WITH  SEVEN  THOUSAND  MEN. — SIEGE  OF  CHARLESTON  IN 
APRIL  AND  MAY,  1780. — WASHINGTON  SEES  THE  DANGER  AND  SENDS  RE- 
ENFORCEMENTS. — DUPORTAIL  GOES  THERE  AS  ENGINEER. — INADEQUATE  SUP- 
PORT. — THE  MARYLAND  AND  DELAWARE  DIVISIONS,  UNDER  KALB,  ARE  PUT 
UNDER  MARCHING  ORDERS. — CONGRESS  SANCTIONS  WASHINGTON'S  PLAN. — 
His  LETTER  TO  THE  BOARD  OF  WAR. — KALB  GOES  TO  PHILADELPHIA. — HE 
.  MAKES  HIS  PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  MARCH. — EMBARKS  HIS  TROOPS  AT 
HEAD  OF  ELK. — KALB  LEAVES  PHILADELPHIA  THE  13TH  OF  MAY,  1780. — 
HE  GOES  FROM  RICHMOND  TO  PETERSBURG. — His  LETTER  OF  THE  29TH  OF 
MAY. — REPORT  OF  HIS  DISPOSITIONS. — THE  STATE  OF  VIRGINIA  is  LUKE- 
WARM, AND  DOES  WHAT  AMOUNTS  TO  NOTHING. — NEWS  OF  THE  SURRENDER 

OF  CHARLESTON. — KALB  MARCHES  NEVERTHELESS. — HE  REACHES  NORTH 
CAROLINA  ON  THE  20ra  OF  JUNE. — TOILSOME  MARCH. — WANT  OF  TRANSPOR- 
TATION AND  PROVISIONS. — NORTH  CAROLINA  DOES  AS  LITTLE  AS  VIRGINIA. — 
DESPERATE  STATE  OF  THINGS. — THE  PROMISED  MILITIA  AND  SUPPLIES  NOT 
FORTHCOMING. — KALB  AT  DEEP  RIVER. — Is  ABOUT  TO  MARCH  INTO  THE 
MOUNTAINS,  WHEN  RELIEVED  BY  GATES. — GREENE  PASSED  OVER. — CHAR. 
ACTER  OF  GATES. — KALE'S  LETTER  TO  GATES. — UNVARNISHED  PICTURE  OF 
THE  SITUATION. — GATES  THINKS  HE  KNOWS  BETTER. — His  ARRIVAL  IN 
CAMP. — FRIENDLY  INTERCOURSE  OF  THE  TWO  GENERALS. — GATES  ISSUES 
MARCHING  ORDERS. — ALL  THE  OFFICERS  OPPOSE  THIS  HASTY  MEASURE. — 
KALB'S  USELESS  REMONSTRANCES. — GATES  INFATUATION. — THE  ARMY 
BREAKS  CAMP  ON  THE  27ra  OF  JULY,  1780,  FOR  SOUTH  CAROLINA. — PRO- 
VISIONS AND  FORAGE  NOT  SUFFICIENT  FOR  A  SINGLE  DAY. — FALSE  REPRE- 
SENTATIONS. 


South,  whither  we  are  now  to  follow  the  steps  of  our 
hero,  had  been  but  sparingly  and  exceptionally  drawn  into 
the  sphere  of  British  operations  during  the  first  years  of  the 


190  LIPEOFKALB. 

war,  partly  because  they  had  not  sufficiently  appreciated  its 
importance  even  in  reference  to  Northern  movements,  and 
partly  because  their  forces  had  been  too  small  to  admit  of 
division.  After  the  flight  of  the  Royal  Governors  from  Vir- 
ginia and  the  Carolinas  at  the  close  of  the  year  1775,  the 
English  Admiral  Parker,  in  June  1776,  endeavored  to  retake 
Charleston,  and  gain  a  foothold  in  South  Carolina ;  his  re- 
pulse by  Moultrie  led  the  British  generals  to  abandon  all  further 
attempts  to  repossess  themselves  of  those  provinces.  After 
this  the  South  was  left  to  its  fate  for  upward  of  two  years, 
the  war  in  the  North  occupying  the  undivided  attention  of 
the  royal  army  and  navy.  It  was  late  in  1778  before  Colo- 
nel Campbell  succeeded  in  making  himself  master  of  the  im- 
portant town  of  Savannah,  where  he  was  shortly  reenforced 
and  superseded  in  command  by  General  Prevost,  who  had 
hitherto  directed  operations  in  Florida.  Clinton  immediately 
sent  Lord  Cornwallis  to  Savannah,  with  what  few  troops 
could  be  spared  in  the  North,  to  bring  back  Georgia  to  the 
allegiance  to  the  crown;  but  Cornwallis  was  compelled  by 
stress  of  weather  to  return,  with  great  loss,  and  without 
having  accomplished  his  purpose.  In  the  autumn  of  1779 
the  French  Admiral,  Count  d'Estaing,  on  his  return  from  the 
West  Indies,  undertook  to  reduce  Savannah,  but  lost  too 
much  time  in  fruitless  negotiations,  and  was  compelled  to 
retire  after  an  unsuccessful  assault  on  the  9th  of  October, 
which  was  the  occasion  of  the  fall  of  the  Polish  Count  Pulas- 
ki,  on  the  Franco-American  side. 

This  piece  of  good  fortune  on  the  part  of  the  English  at 
once  altered  the  entire  aspect  of  affairs  in  America,  and  gave 
them  time  and  opportunity  to  recover.  The  French  fleet 
separated,  a  part  returning  home  and  the  remainder  being 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  191 

distributed  between  the  harbors  of  Martinique  and  Gua- 
deloupe, and  Washington,  deprived  of  d'Estaing's  support, 
could  not  execute  his  projected  movement  against  New 
York.  Clinton  now  began  to  understand  the  importance  of 
the  Southern  provinces,  and  the  necessity  of  holding  them  to 
the  success  of  a  campaign  in  the  North.  Congress  having  no 
money  to  give  the  French  and  Spaniards  for  munitions  of 
war,  cannon,  uniforms,  and  medicines,  was  obliged  to  pay 
for  them  in  productions  such  as  indigo,  rice,  tobacco,  and 
turpentine,  which  were  grown  in  the  Southern  colonies,  and 
exported  from  Charleston  and  Savannah.  The  first  thing  to 
be  done,  therefore,  was  to  take  and  occupy  Charleston  before 
the  setting  in  of  the  summer  heats,  and  to  control  South 
Carolina  by  means  of  its  port,  as  Georgia  was  controlled  by 
the  possession  of  Savannah.  Under  these  circumstances 
Clinton  had  made  up  his  mind  to  undertake  an  expedition  in 
the  midst  of  winter  ;  and  he  himself  set  sail  from  New  York 
with  seven  thousand  men  on  the  20th  of  December,  1779. 
After  a  voyage  of  six  weeks  the  fleet  reached  Savannah,  and 
then  sailed  up  the  coast  to  the  islands  southwest  of  Charles- 
ton, where  the  troops  disembarked  the  10th  and  llth  of 
February,  1780.  On  the  29th  of  March  they  crossed  the 
Ashley  River  about  fourteen  miles  above  the  city,  and  opened 
the  siege  on  the  1st  of  April,  which  ended  on  the  12th  of 
May  in  the  surrender  of  the  town  by  General  Lincoln. 

Washington  had  no  sooner  seen  the  danger  impending 
over  the  latter,  than  he  1  ad  made  every  effort  to  reenforce 
him.  Though  he  could  hardly  spare  any  troops  himself,  as 
early  as  the  12th  of  December,  1779,  before  even  Clinton 
had  left  New  York,  he  ordered  the  Virginia  line84  to  march 
south  immediately  and  unite  with  Lincoln,  who  was  of 


192  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

course  loft  in  the  lurch  by  the  State  militia.  "  Our  safety," 
Lincoln  writes  repeatedly  to  John  Laurens  from  Charles- 
town,85  "depends  on  the  seasonable  arrival  of  such  reenforce- 
raents  as  will  oblige  him  (the  enemy)  to  raise  the  siege." 
Want  of  the  most  necessary  articles  of  apparel  and  of  trans- 
portation detained  the  737  regulars  of  Virginia  at  Peters- 
burg till  the  beginning  of  March ;  when,  however,  they 
travelled  a  distance  of  five  hundred  and  five  English  miles 
by  forced  marches  in  thirty  days,  and  on  the  7th  of  April, 
1780,  reached  Charleston,80  invested  by  the  enemy  a  week 
before.  In  addition  to  these  troops  Washington  sent  Lincoln 
an  eminent  engineer  officer  in  the  person  of  General  Dupor- 
tail  (who,  in  1791,  became  French  minister  of  war),  recom- 
mending him  as  a  most  reliable  adviser  in  all  emergencies; 
but  Duportail  also,  without  any  fault  of  his,  reached  Charles- 
ton only  on  the  25th  of  April,  and  found  the  position  unten- 
able, if  not  unexpectedly  relieved  by  a  strong  force."  When 
it  is  considered  that  in  those  days  it  required  four  weeks  to 
communicate  between  Charleston  and  New  York,  it  is  easily 
seen  that  upon  receiving  news  of  this  character,  dated  in 
February,  at  the  beginning  of  April,  Washington  might  still 
believe  in  the  possibility  of  rescuing  Charleston  by  a  pow- 
erful body  of  troops.  When,  therefore,  at  the  end  of  March 
he  heard  of  additional  shipments  of  English  troops  going  on 
at  New  York,  he  took  immediate  steps  to  have  the  Maryland 
and  Delaware  division  in  readiness  to  march  to  "the  further 
support  of  Lincoln. 

"Something  should  be  hazarded  here,"  Washington  writes 
on  April  2,  1780,  from  Morristown  to  the  President,"  "rely- 
ing on  the  internal  strength  of  the  country,  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  further  succor  to  the  Southern  States,  where  there 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  193 

is  not  the  same  dependence.  I  shall  therefore  put  the  Ma- 
ryland line,  and  the  Delaware  regiment,  which  acts  with  it, 
under  marching  orders  immediately,  and  have  directed  pro- 
visions to  be  made  for  transporting  them  as  far  as  Philadel- 
phia ;  and  I  propose  that  their  march,  if  practicable,  should 
commence  on  the  sailing  of  the  detachment  from  New  York. 
But  before  the  measure  is  carried  into  execution,  I  shall  be 
happy  to  know  the  sense  of  Congress  on  its  expediency. 
The  consequences  may  be  very  important  either  way,  and  I 
wish  to  have  their  instructions  for  my  government. 

"  In  case  the  detachment  is  to  march,  its  ulterior  proceed- 
ings and  route  from  Philadelphia  will  depend  on  the  orders 
which  Congress,  or  the  Board  of  War,  by  their  directions, 
shall  give ;  for  it  is  impossible  for  me,  under  our  circum- 
stances, to  give  directions  upon  this  occasion.  The  quarter- 
master and  commissary-general  are  both  in  Philadelphia,  and 
will  exert  themselves,  I  am  persuaded,  to  carry  into  execu- 
tion any  plan  for  the  transportation  and  accommodation  of 
the  troops  that  may  be  judged  most  eligible,  as  far  as  it  may 
be  in  their  power.  Baron  de  Kalb,  who  is  now  at  the  head 
of  the  Maryland  division,  will  command  the  detachment  in 
case  it  proceeds,  and  will  set  out  to-morrow  or  the  next  day 
for  Philadelphia  to  assist  and  expedite  the  arrangements  for 
its  future  movements.  If  the  troops  could  embark  without 
delay  at  the  Head  of  Elk,  and  arrive  safe  in  James  River,  it 
would  not  only  be  a  great  ease  to  them,  but  it  would  expe- 
dite their  arrival  at  the  southward,  and  prevent  many  deser- 
tions, which  will  probably  happen  if  they  march  through 
their  State.  But  how  far  this  mode  of  proceeding  may  be 
eligible,  I  will  not  pretend  to  determine,  as  the  enemy,  in  case 
they  should  be  advised  of  it,  which  every  precaution  of  se- 
9 


194  LIFEOPKALB. 

crecy  would  be  necessary  to  prevent,  might,  by  sending 
armed  vessels  into  the  bay,  attempt  to  intercept  them  in 
their  passage.  Major  Lee's  corps  is  under  marching  orders 
for  the  southward,  of  which  I  have  advised  the  Board  of 
War,  and  the  commanding  officer  is  directed  to  proceed  with 
it  as  soon  as  he  adjusts  them  with  the  proper  arrangements." 

As  was  mentioned  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter, 
Kalb  had  returned  to  headquarters  two  days  after  the  date 
of  the  letter  just  quoted,  by  order  of  the  commander-in- 
chief,  in  order  to  proceed  to  Philadelphia  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible for  the  arrangement  of  his  private  affairs.  Washing- 
ton's letter  of  the  4th  of  April  induced  him  to  hasten  his 
departure,  and  set  out  on  the  following  day. 

"  I  have,  in  consequence  of  the  opinion  of  the  last  council 
of  war,"  Washington  writes  to  Kalb  on  April  4,  1780,  from 
Morristown,90  "left  it  with  Congress  finally  to  determine 
upon  the  march  of  the  Maryland  division  to  the  southward. 
That  no  time  may  be  lost  in  the  transportation  of  the  troops, 
should  Congress  agree  in  sentiment  with  the  council,  I  am  to 
desire  you  to  proceed  immediately  to  Philadelphia;  and  if 
you  find,  upon  your  arrival  there,  that  the  troops  are  to 
move,  concert  with  the  Board  of  War  and  the  commissary 
and  quartermaster-general  the  necessary  arrangements  for 
their  provision  and  accommodation.  But  should  it  be  de- 
termined that  the  march  of  the  body  of  men  alluded  to  is  at 
this  time  either  inexpedient  or  unnecessary,  you  will  be 
pleased,  after  completing  your  private  business,  to  return  to 
your  command  in  the  army.  If  you  proceed  to  the  south- 
ward, I  wish  you  a  safe  and  expeditious  march,  and  every 
success  that  you  can  possibly  desire." 

On  Kalb's  arrival  at  Philadelphia  on  the  8th  of  April, 


LIFEOFKALB.  195 

he  found  that  Congress  had  already  decided  to  accept  Wash- 
ington's suggestion.  He  therefore  remained  where  he  was, 
and  engaged  in  the  preparations  necessary  for  the  march  of 
his  troops. 

"  In  consequence  of  the  detachment  the  enemy  are  now 
making,"  Washington  writes  to  Lincoln,  April  15,  1780, 
"  it  has  been  determined  to  march  the  Maryland  division  of 
about  2,000  men  to  your  assistance  ;  but  our  situation  here 
will  not  permit  it  to  move  before  it  is  certain  the  enemy's 
detachment  has  sailed.  Baron  de  Kalb  will  command  this 
division.  This  reinforcement,  in  all  probability,  will  be  too 
late  to  have  any  influence  upon  the  fall  of  Charleston  ;  but 
if  that  should  fall,  it  may  serve  to  check  the  progress  of  the 
British  troops,  and  prevent  their  getting  entire  possession  of 
the  State.  If  they  succeed  against  Charleston,  there  is  much 
reason  to  believe  the  Southern  States  will  become  the  prin- 
cipal theatre  of  the  war." 

It  having  been  ascertained  that  the  hostile  detachment 
had  sailed  from  New  York  on  the  7th  of  April,  the  Mary- 
land division  broke  their  camp  at  Morristown  on  the  16th, 
and  marched,  in  the  first  instance,  to  Philadelphia."  Here 
Kalb  superintended  their  equipment,  and  sent  the  infantry, 
numbering  about  1,400  men,  to  Head  of  Elk  (now  Elkton), 
the  northernmost  point  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  where  they  em- 
barked on  the  3d  of  May  for  Petersburg,  Virginia,  while  the 
artillery,  with  the  baggage  and  ammunition,  proceeded  south 
by  land. 

"  The  providing  the  troops  under  my  command,"  Kalb 
says  in  a  letter  to  Washington  from  Philadelphia,  on  May 
12,  1780,  "  with  every  necessary  for  their  march,  has  been 
attended  with  many  difficulties  and  delays  which  it  was  not 


196  LIFE    OF    KALI;. 

in  my  power  to  remove  as  soon  as  I  could  have  wished ;  and, 
therefore,  I  was  not  able  to  give  a  satisfactory  account  to 
your  Excellency  before  now. 

"  The  Board  of  War  have  fixed  upon  Richmond  as  the 
place  of  rendezvous  for  the  whole.  The  two  brigades  em- 
barked at  the  Head  of  Elk,  the  artillery,  ammunition,  and 
baggage  proceeded  by  land.  I  shall  set  out  to-morrow 
morning.  I  should  have  done  it  many  days  ago  had  I  not 
been  detained  by  the  Board  of  War  and  of  the  Treasury. 
I  should  have  been  happy  to  see  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette, 
but  would  not  lose  a  moment  in  going  on. 

"  From  Richmond  I  will  write  to  your  Excellency  the 
situation  of  the  troops,  the  number  of  recruits  joined  on  the 
march,  and  the  measures  I  shall  take  to  march  with  most 
expedition." 

Kalb  himself  left  Philadelphia  the  following  day,  May 
13th,  was  detained  two  days  at  Annapolis,  waiting  for  mon- 
eys to  be  paid  by  the  treasurer  of  the  State  of  Maryland,  and 
arrived  at  Richmond  on  the  22d.  Finding  that  Governor 
Jefferson  had  removed  the  rendezvous  of  the  troops  twenty- 
three  miles  southward  to  Petersburg,  Kalb  went  there  on  the 
next  day.  Here  the  last  transports  of  his  division  had  just 
arrived,  and  he  was  kept  busy  night  and  day,  contending 
with  innumerable  difficulties,  and  obliged  to  deny  himself 
all  rest  until  the  troops  could  be  hurried  into  marching 
order. 

"  How  gladly,"  writes  Kalb  from  Petersburg,  May  29, 
to  his  wife  and  his  friend  Holtzendorff,  ''  would  I  have  tar- 
ried a  few  days  in  Philadelphia,  to  await  the  arrival  of  the 
Marquis  de  Lafayette,  announced  in  your  last  letters.  I  had 
hundreds  and  hundreds  of  questions  to  ask  him,  and  would 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  197 

have  been  glad  to  have  chatted  with  him  for  some  hours ; 
but  it  was  impossible  to  postpone  my  departure  eA'en  a  sin- 
gle day,  as  my  troops  were  already  on  the  march  for  this 
place,  and  as  the  fate  of  Charleston  evidently  depends  upon 
the  succor  to  be  brought  by  me.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  I 
shall  come  in  time,  but  I  cannot  be  there  before  the  end  of 
June.  Everything  seems  to  have  conspired  against  me  and 
the  interests  of  the  service.  Come  what  may,  however,  I  will 
not  have  the  blame  of  any  delay  laid  at  my  door.  I  have 
under  my  orders  the  troops  of  Maryland  and  Delaware,  Lee's 
corps,  and  a  regiment  of  artillery  with  twelve  pieces.  I  have 
been  promised  further  reinforcements  of  militia  from  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina ;  but  such  is  the  dilatory  manner  in  which 
all  things  are  done  here,  that  I  cannot  depend  upon  them, 
much  less  wait  for  them.  To-morrow  and  next  day  my 
troops,  divided  into  three  brigades,  will  take  up  their  line 
of  march,  provided  always  the  long-promised  wagons  are 
forthcoming.  In  spite  of  the  haste  with  which  I  shall  move, 
it  is  very  possible  that  the  fate  of  Charleston  will  have  been 
decided  before  my  arrival.  For,  although  the  city  has  long 
been  threatened  with  a  siege,  and  the  enemy  was  in  close 
proximity  for  a  long  time  before  he  could  complete  the  in- 
vestment, although,  therefore,  there  was  the  largest  abun- 
dance of  time  to  stock  it  with  supplies,  yet  I  fear  this  essen- 
tial matter  has  been  entirely  overlooked,  or  has  received  the 
necessary  attention  only  when  it  was  too  late.'-' 

The  State  of  Virginia  did  not  furnish  the  promised  wagons, 
or  left  them  unprovided  longer  than  had  been  represented. 
Suffolk  County  bound  itself  for  forty  wagons,  and  Richmond 
for  twelve,  while  the  remainder  were  to  be  procured  in 
Petersburg.  June  arrived,  however,  before  a  few  of  the 


198  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

wagons  came  straggling  in.  For  this  reason  Kalb  could  not 
despatch  the  first  brigade  of  his  little  corps  before  the  first  of 
June.  The  other  wagons  came  so  sparingly,  that  he  loaded 
those  he  had  with  the  tents,  and  ordered  the  soldiers,  not- 
withstanding the  heat  of  the  season,  to  carry  their  own  bag- 
gage, and,  to  save  further  parley,  started  the  second  brigade 
on  the  sixth  of  June,  while  he  brought  up  the  rear  with  the 
third  on  the  8th.  He  took  the  route  by  way  of  Taylor's 
Ferry  to  Hillsborough  and  Salisbury. 

"  I  meet  with  no  support,  no  integrity,  and  no  virtue  in 
the  State  of  Virginia,"  Kalb  writes  about  this  time  to  his 
friend  Dr.  Phyle,  of  Philadelphia,  "and  place  my  sole  reliance 
on  the  French  fleet  and  army,  which  are  coming  to  our  re- 
lief. For  my  part,  I  expect  a  most  toilsome  campaign,  having 
been  detained  much  too  long  by  the  non-arrival  of  my 
wagons."  "*  Before  setting  out  for  the  South,  Kalb  received 
the  confirmation  of  his  fears  respecting  the  fate  of  Charleston. 
The  modifications  in  his  plans  which  this  sad  event  made 
necessary,  are  explained  in  the  following  letter  to  the  Board 
of  War  from  Petersburg,  June  6,  1780  : 

"  I  am  this  moment  informed  by  Major  Jamison,"  he  writes, 
"who  arrived  from  Georgetown,  South  Carolina,  that  Charles- 
ton capitulated  on  the  12th  May,  our  garrison  prisoners  of 
war,  the  enemy  advancing  this  side  Georgetown,  their  forces 
in  that  quarter  unknown,  but  that  their  army  under  Gen. 
Clinton  was  with  a  late  reinforcement  he  received  about  12,- 
000.  No  certainty  where  Gov.  Rutledge  is  with  the  troops 
under  his  command,  and  have  sent  orders  to  the  first  brigade 
and  artillery  to  halt  where  they  are  until  I  shall  join  with  the 
second  brigade.  I  suppose  my  letters  will  find  them  not  far 
from  Salisbury.  There  I  will  consider  what  steps  to  take,  if  a 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  199 

junction  with  Gov.  Rutledge  may  be  expected,  and  whether 
there  will  be  auy  prospect  of  obtaining  militia  from  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina;  but  even  then  the  enemy  will  be  still 
vastly  superior  in  number.  I  am  determined  to  be  on  the 
defensive  until  reinforcement,  and  further  orders  and  direc- 
tions either  from  your  Board,  Congress,  or  the  Commander- 
in-chief.  By  Major  Jamison  I  also  understand  that  Col. 
Armand's  corps  is  in  Wilmington.  The  State  artillery  of  Vir- 
ginia moved  from  this  place  twenty-eight  days  ago  by  the 
same  road  I  am  marching;  they  are  supposed  to  be  actually 
about  Camden  or  with  Gov.  Rutledge."  * 

While  the  fall  of  Charleston  had  frustrated  the  main  object 
of  Katb's  mission,  it  by  no  means  superseded  the  necessity  of 
his  march  South  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  case  had  been  foreseen 
and  provided  for  by  his  instructions.  As  yet  the  enemy  had 
not  gained  a  footing  anywhere  in  North  or  South  Carolina, 
outside  of  Charleston.  It  was  important  to  form  a  strong 
nucleus  for  the  militia,  to  encourage  and  organize  the  Whigs, 
to  repress  the  Tories,  to  harass  the  enemy  in  his  contemplated 
advance,  to  cut  off  his  supplies,  and  to  injure  him  in  every 
possible  way.  The  State  of  Virginia,  unarmed  and  helpless  as 
it  was,  now  awoke  to  its  own  interest  sufficiently  to  do  all  in 
its  power86  toward  facilitating  Kalb's  movements,  and  send- 
ing out  his  corps  to  the  defence  of  the  State  frontier  ;  but,  in 
consequence  of  the  utter  want  of  means,  all  the  preparations 
made  and  assistance  rendered  were  so  meagre,  so  far  below 
the  most  moderate  estimates  and  expectations,  that  Kalb's 
advance  was  of  the  very  slowest.  It  was  not  before  the  20th 
of  June  that  he  reached  the  boundary  of  North  Carolina. 
His  first  letter  from  this  State  is  dated  at  Goshen,  Grenville 
County,  the  21st  of  June,  and  is  addressed  to  his  wife." 

*  Literal  Copy. 


200  LIFE    OF    KALB.' 

"  Here  I  am  at  last,"  he  says,  "  considerably  south,  suffer- 
ing from  intolerable  heat,  the  worst  of  quarters,  and  the  most 
voracious  of  insects  of  every  hue  and  form.  The  most  disa- 
greeable of  the  latter  is  what  is  commonly  called  the  tick,  a 
kind  of  strong  black  flea,  which  makes  its  way  under  the  skin, 
and  by  its  bite  produces  the  most  painful  irritation  and  in- 
flammation, which  lasts  a  number  of  days.  My  whole  body  is 
covered  With  these  stings.  I  do  not  yet  know  whether  the 
strength  and  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  the  difficulty 
of  feeding  my  little  army,  will  permit  me  to  advance  two 
hundred  miles  further  to  the  borders  of  this  State.  I  have 
ordered  several  detachments  to  rendezvous  to-morrow  thirty- 
three  miles  from  here,  if  a  violent  storm  does  not  prevent  us 
from  effecting  a  junction.  Of  the  violence  of  thunderstorms 
in  this  part  of  the  world  Europeans  cannot  form  any  idea." 

The  further  southward  the  little  corps  penetrated,  the 
more  difficult  the  march  became.  With  every  mile  travelled 
the  supply  of  provisions  and  transportation  diminished.  At 
Hillsborough  Kalb  was  compelled  to  lie  idle  a  number  of 
days,  to  give  his  exhausted  soldiers  an  opportunity  to  rest 
and  refresh  themselves  as  far  as  possible.  He  was  in  hopes, 
also,  of  meeting  at  this  place  the  promised  militia  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina ;  but  the  number  that  arrived  was  com 
paratively  trifling.  Hence  he  marched  on  in  a  southwesterly 
direction  to  Greenborough,  until,  on  the  6th  of  July,  he 
reached  Wilcox's  Iron  Works,  on  Deep  River,  where  he  was 
again  brought  to  a  halt  by  want  of  provisions. 

"  Since  last  giving  you  some  account  of  myself  at 
Goshen,"  says  Kalb,  writing  to  his  wife  on  the  7th  of  July 
from  his  camp  on  Deep  River,"8  "  I  have  had  to  make  most 
fatiguing  marches,  endure  much  heat,  and  overcome  great 


LIFE     OP    KALB.  201 

difficulties ;  but  am  still  far  from  the  end.  It  is  even  possible 
that  after  having  reached  the  goal  assigned  myself,  I  shall  be 
compelled  to  retreat  without  striking  a  blow,  for  want  of  pro- 
visions. What  a  difference  between  warfare  in  this  coun- 
try and  in  Europe !  They  who  do  not  know  the  former, 
know  not  what  it  is  to  contend  against  obstacles.  I  would 
fain  be  rid  of  my  command,  than  which  there  can  be  noth- 
ing more  annoying  or  difficult.  My  present  position 
makes  me  doubly  anxious  to  return  to  you  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible." 

The  State  of  North  Carolina  had  not  made  the  slightest 
arrangements  for  the  subsistence  of  the  Union  troops,  but 
devoted  its  attention  exclusively  to  its  own  militia,  many  of 
whom,  being  of  royalist  sentiments,  had  to  be  forced  into 
the  service.  Kalb's  requisitions  and  remonstrances  had  no 
effect  whatever  upon  the  State  executive.  He  was  thus  com- 
pelled to  send  out  foraging  parties,  under  discreet  officers, 
to  collect  provisions  at  a  season  when  very  few  harvests  are 
garnered.  A  considerable  part  of  the  population  were  liv- 
ing upon  the  remnants  of  the  last  corn  crop,  and  the  next, 
though  very  promising,  had  not  yet  npened.  Hence,  in 
spite  of  the  most  stringent  orders  to  take  but  a  part  of  the 
contents  of  each  granary,  many  a  farmer  suffered  severely. 
In  this  precarious  condition  the  army  continued  for  several 
days ;  but  as  the  stock  of  provisions  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
camp  was  speedily  exhausted,  the  alternative  presented  itself 
of  either  procuring  them  from  a  greater  distance,  or  march- 
ing to  where  they  were  more  plentiful.  The  former  was  im- 
practicable, as  Kalb  was  totally  without  transportation ;  he 
concluded,  therefore,  to  resort  to  the  latter  expedient,  after 
having  first  enlarged  the  beat  of  his  foraging  parties,  directed 
9* 


202  LIFE    OF    KALI;. 

a  little  magazine  to  be  erected  at  Cox  (or  Wilcox's)  Mills, 
and  encamped  in  the  neighborhood  of  Buffalo  Ford. 

But  all  this  was  far  from  sufficient  to  provide  the  indis. 
pensable  necessaries  for  his  troops ;  the  little  meat  that  could 
be  provided  was  of  half-starved  cattle  collected  from  the 
woods  and  bushes  where  it  had  wintered.  Inactivitj*,  bad 
nourishment,  and  the  difficulty  of  preserving  discipline,  have 
often  proved  fatal  to  troops,  where  no  immediate  danger  is 
apprehended,  and  have  been  the  ruin  of  entire  armies ;  but 
in  this  instance  the  assiduity  of  the  officers,  and  the  patience 
and  fortitude  of  the  rank  and  file,  upheld  the  order  and  har- 
mony of  the  command,  and  even  the  ardor  of  the  individual 
soldier." 

Kalb  did  not  fail  to  report  his  condition  to  Congress,  and 
to  reiterate  his  solicitations  with  the  executive  of  North 
Carolina.  He  had  been  amused  with  promises  of  abundant 
supplies,  and  of  a  strong  reenforcement  of  North  Carolina 
militia,  which  had  then  taken  the  field  under  the  command 
of  Major-General  Caswell.  But  the  supplies  never  came, 
and  the  commander  of  the  militia,  who  thirsted  for  personal 
distinction,  employed  his  men  in  little  expeditions  against 
the  seditious  or  discontented  inhabitants,  who  had  taken 
refuge  in  the  woods,  swamps,  and  bushes,  to  escape  from  the 
service  of  their  country. 

Kalb  vainly  requested  General  Caswell  to  join  him,  and 
found  it  useless  to  wait  longer  for  supplies  for  his  troops  in  a 
country  where  everything  was  being  destroyed  by  the  ma- 
rauding militia.  He  hesitated,  therefore,  whether  to  dis- 
credit Caswell's  lamentations  about  scarcity  of  provisions, 
and  form  a  junction  with  him,  or  to  march  higher  up  into  the 
country,  and  endeavor  to  gain  the  fertile  shores  of  the  Yad- 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  203 

kiu.  Before  coming  to  a  decision  he  was  notified  of  the 
speedy  arrival  of  General  Gates,  who,  immediately  after  the 
intelligence  of  the  surrender  of  Charleston,  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  Congress  to  succeed  Lincoln  as  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Southern  army.100 

In  October,  1777,  General  Gates,  as  is  well  known,  had 
captured  the  English  general,  Burgoyne,  with  bis  whole 
army,  by  which  brilliant  success,  not  so  much  his  own  merit 
as  that  of  his  predecessor,  General  Schuyler,  he  had  suddenly 
achieved  a  wide-spread  reputation.  In  consequence  of  this 
decisive  victory  he  was  regarded  by  the  masses,  who  always 
judge  by  results,  as  one  of  the  greatest  generals,  and  looked 
upon  himself  as  a  military  genius.  Hairbraiued,  haughty, 
and  conceited  as  he  was,  he  ranked  himself  above  Washing- 
ton and  intrigued  against  him,  imbued  other  coxcombs  and 
intriguers  with  an  exalted  idea  of  his  merits  and  services, 
and  even  had  a  powerful  party  in  Congress.  Lincoln  being 
a  prisoner,  it  was  the  more  important  to  appoint  an  imme- 
diate successor,  as  a  new  army  could  not  be  sent  to  the 
South.  Kalb  had  had  no  opportunity  of  distinguishing  him- 
self. He  was  rarely  seen  at  the  capital,  took  no  trouble  to 
obtain  influential  friends  or  patrons,  and  therefore,  although 
his  great  experience  and  cool  circumspection  would  have 
fitted  him  admirably  for  the  leadership  in  that  part  of  the 
scene  of  war,  he  was  rarely  or  never  mentioned  as  a  candi- 
date for  the  succession  to  this  highly-responsible  post.  Be- 
sides, there  was,  in  the  person  of  General  Greene,  an  officer 
of  older  rank  and  higher  merit,  who  had  the  first  claims  to 
this  distinction,  and  who  was  the  choice  of  Washington  for 
the  position.  But  Congress  had  no  sooner  heard  of  the  fall 
of  Charleston,  with  almost  unbecoming  haste,  and  without 


204  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

waiting  for  the  proposals  of  the  commander-in-chief,  or  tak- 
ing his  opinion,  they,  on  the  l.'Hh  of  June,  1780,  appointed 
Gates  to  lead  the  Army  of  the  South.  It  was  supposed  that 
the  mere  name  of  the  conqueror  of  Saratoga  would  raise  the 
drooping  spirits,  and  that  one  so  successful  as  Gates  could 
not  but  prove  a  match  for  Lord  Corn  wall  is.  Gates  was  on 
his  plantation  in  Virginia  when  he  received  the  news  of  his 
appointment.  He  accepted  it  with  thanks,  and  at  once  has- 
tened South,  in  the  confident  hope  of  achieving  new  tri- 
umphs, and  finishing  the  war  at  a  blow.  "  Take  care,"  cried 
his  old  friend  and  fellow-intriguer,  Charles  Lee,  at  parting, 
"  lest  your  Northern  laurels  turn  to  Southern  willows."  101 
But  Gates  did  not  take  care. 

Kalb  received  the  announcement  of  his  appointment, 
through  Gates  himself,  on  the  13th  of  July,  at  his  camp  on 
Deep  River.  We  have  seen  by  the  letter  to  his  wife  above 
quoted,  that  under  the  circumstances  in  promptly  and  cheer- 
fully surrendering  the  chief  command  into  the  hands  of  the 
new-comer,  he  acted  not  so  much  from  a  sense  of  resignation 
or  self-denial,  as  with  a  feeling  of  indescribable  relief  from 
almost  insupportable  responsibilities.  Honor  and  renown 
were  not  to  be  acquired  in  North  Carolina ;  of  this  Kalb  had 
Jong  become  convinced.  Nothing  was  to  be  done  except  to 
evade  the  hostile  forces,  to  avoid  a  decisive  engagement,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  to  amuse  the  enemy  for  months  to  come, 
while  waiting  for  supports  in  way  of  troops,  ammunition,  and 
provisions ;  and  even  then  the  small  number  of  troops  and 
the  ill  discipline  of  the  militia  made  success  highly  question- 
able. 

"  I  am  happy  by  your  arrival,"  Kalb  wr  es  July  16, 1780. 
from  his  camp  on  the  Deep  River  to  Gates,*  "  for  I  have  strug- 
*  Lateral  copy. 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  205 

gled  with  a  good  many  difficulties  for  provisions  ever  since  I 
arrived  in  this  State ;  and  altho'  I  have  put  the  troops  on  short 
allowance  for  bread,  we  cannot  get  even  that ;  no  flour  laid  in, 
and  no  disposition  made  for  any  but  what  I  have  done  by 
military  authority ;  no  assistance  from  the  legislative  or  exec- 
utive power ;  and  the  greatest  unwillingness  in  the  people  to 
part  with  anything.  Of  all  this  I  will  give  you  a  more  par- 
ticular account  at  your  arrival.  The  design  I  had  to  move 
nearer  the  enemy  to  drive  them  from  Pedee  River,  a  plentiful 
country,  has  been  defeated  by  the  impossibility  of  subsisting 
on  the  road,  and  no  immediate  supplies  to  be  depended  on  in 
the  first  instance  after  a  difficult  march. 

"  I  will  prepare  exact  returns  towards  the  time  I  shall  have 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  you,  of  the  regular  troops  of  the  de- 
partment, but  I  could  hardly  depend  on  any  but  the  Maryland 
and  Delaware  regiments  of  my  division,  with  a  small  number 
of  artillerymen  and  Col.  Araiand's  legion,  and  all  those  very 
much  reduced  by  sickness,  discharges,  and  desertion.  This 
induced  me  to  leave  three  pieces  of  artillery  at  Roanoke  River 
and  to  send  some  six  to  Hillsborough,  having  kept  eight, 
which  I  thought  sufficient  for  so  small  an  army. 

"I  am  to  move  towards  Coxe's  Mill  higher  up  on  Deep 
River,  where  I  am  to  be  joined  by  the  North  Carolina  militia 
under  Major-general  Caswell,  of  about  1,200.  The  Virginia 
militia  are  still  at  Hillsborough,  as  you  will  be  informed  there. 
You  may  also  have  met  with  a  small  party  of  Col.  Buford's  re- 
mains ;  I  wanted  to  keep  them  in  the  army,  but  wanting  arms 
and  clothing  he  insisted  on  marching  them  to  Virginia,  and 
promised  me  he  would  join  in  the  beginning  of  July.  I  have 
not  heard  from  him  since.  Col.  Washington's  and  Col.  White's 
regiments  of  horse  are  at  Halifax,  it  is  said,  unfit  for  service.  I 


206  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

have  wrote  to  them  both  several  times  to  know  their  situations, 
but  could  not  obtain  an  answer  as  yet ;  there  were  two  troops 
of  Virginia  State  light-horse  under  Major  Nelson  in  so  bad 
order  in  respect  to  horses,  wanting  saddles  and  every  article 
of  accoutrement,  that  I  have  sent  them  to  Halifax  to  refit  and 
recruit. 

"  Col.  White  has  left  25  of  his  light-horse  at  Hillsborough, 
they  might  serve  you  for  an  escort ;  if  you  order  one  from 
camp  to  meet  you,  let  me  be  informed  thereof  in  time.  You 
will  find  the  army  in  a  few  days  at  or  near  Coxe's  Mill;  your 
shortest  road  will  be  by  Lindley's  Mill,  Cob  Taxton,  and 
Rocky  River;  your  wagons,  if  you  have  any,  would  go  better 
by  Chatham  Court  House ;  your  quarters  will  be  marked  near 
camp." 

"  Yesterday  I  had  the  honor,"  Gates  answers  from  Hills- 
borough,  July  20,  1780,  "to  receive  your  obliging  letter  of 
the  16th  instant,  dated  from  your  camp  on  Deep  River.  I  am 
astonished  at  your  distress  and  difficulties,  and  have  ever 
since  my  arrival  here  upon  last  Tuesday  been  endeavoring  to 
alleviate  them.  I  have  sent  despatches  to  the  Governor  and 
Executive  Council  of  this  State,  to  Governor  Jefferson  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  to  Congress ;  in  all  these  you  may  be  satisfied  I  have 
endeavored  to  describe  our  real  situation,  so  as  that  no  mis- 
take may  be  entertained  upon  that  head.  Enough  has  already 
been  lost  in  a  vain  defence  of  Charleston ;  if  more  is  sacri- 
ficed. I  think  the  Southern  States  are  undone,  and  this  may 
go  nearly  to  undo  the  rest.  I  think  all  my  writing  business 
will  be  finished  to-day ;  if  so,  I  shall  set  out  to-morrow  for 
camp,  and  hope  to  be  with  you  on  Saturday.  The  troops  as 
you  mention  for  my  escort  here  are  without  horses,  and  many 
of  them  sent  by  Capt.  Gun  to  Halifax.  I  will  acquaint  you 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  207 

tomorrow  the  route  I  intend  to  come,  and  request  an  escort  to 
meet  me  at  a  certain  spot  I  will  name." 

Gates  only  reached  camp  on  the  25th  of  July.  Kalb  re- 
ceived him  with  studied  courtesy,  and  with  a  salute  of  thir- 
teen guns.  Gates  was  equally  polite,  confirmed  all  the  stand- 
ing orders  of  his  predecessor,  but,  to  the  greatest  amazement 
of  the  latter,  announced  to  the  troops  at  his  first  review,  that 
they  must  expect  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice.  He  evi- 
dently wanted  to  distinguish  himself  by  a  quick  and  energetic 
advance,  in  contrast  with  the  previous  involuntary  slowness 
of  movement;  but  in  point  of  fact  his  orders  of  July  26th, 
commanding  the  troops  to  march  on  the  direct  road  for  Cam- 
den  on  the  following  day,  betrayed  his  total  ignorance  of  the 
true  state  of  affairs,  and  especially  of  the  condition  of  the 
soldiers  who  had  been  but  a  single  day  in  his  charge. 

Kalb  induced  Colonel  Williams,  who  had  hitherto  acted 
as  his  adjutant-general,  and  who  was  an  old  friend  of  Gates, 
to  remonstrate  with  the  latter  on  the  hazard  of  the  step  he 
was  about  to  take.  Williams  proved  to  him  for  that  purpose 
that  the  district  of  country  to  be  traversed  was  naturally 
sterile,  full  of  sandy  plains  alternating  with  numerous  swamps, 
and  but  very  thinly  settled.  He  strove  to  convince  him  that 
the  desired  stock  of  provisions  and  forage  which  had  been 
collected  on  the  banks  of  the  streams  crossing  the  route,  had 
been  already  exhausted,  or  carried  off  by  the  enemy  or  by 
hordes  of  bandits,  who,  under  the  designation  of  Tories,  had 
retreated  before  the  persecutions  of  those  who  were  called 
Whigs,  and  who,  by  incessant  depredations,  and  by  removing 
even  the  little  remnant  of  provisions,  could  infallibly  reduce 
his  little  army  to  the  verge  of  starvation.  On  the  other  hand 
Williams  represented  to  General  Gates  that  by  taking  a  more 


208  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

northwesterly  direction,  near  where  the  Pedee  loses  the  name 
of  Yadkin,  he  would  strike  the  town  of  Salisbury,  lying  in  the 
midst  of  a  fertile  country,  with  a  patriotic  population.  He 
further  remarked  that  the  latter  route  had  been  the  choice 
of  the  most  circumspect  and  efficient  of  the  officers,  with 
General  Kalb  at  their  head,  partly  because  it  promised  the 
most  abundant  supply  of  all  sorts  of  provisions,  partly  because 
in  case  of  a  reverse  it  offered  the  sick  and  wounded  a  secure 
asylum  at  Salisbury  or  Charlotte,  as  the  militia  of  the  coun- 
ties of  Mecklenburg  and  Rowan,  in  which  those  towns  are 
situate,  were  devoted  to  the  cause  of  independence ;  and 
finally  because  it  was  the  most  favorable  locality  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  contemplated  workshop  for  the  repair  of  arms.  In 
conclusion,  Williams  submitted  to  his  commander,  that  the 
supplies  coming  from  the  North  would  find  this  the  safest  route 
to  the  camp  ;  that  the  advantage  of  taking  the  enemy's  out- 
posts in  the  flank  was  not  to  be  despised  even  when  obtained 
at  the  expense  of  such  a  circuit ;  and  that  the  army  itself  might 
then  advance  upon  the  most  important  of  these  outposts  at 
Camden  with  the  Wateree  on  its  right  flank,  and  its  friends 
in  the  rear. 

To  give  all  these  considerations  the  more  weight  with  the 
commanding  general,  they  had  been  drawn  up  in  writing,  and 
signed  by  the  leading  officers.  On  the  representations  of 
Williams,  who  presented  this  memorial,  Gates  promised  to 
convene  all  the  staff  officers  for  consultation  at  noon  of  the 
first  day  of  the  march  ;  but  such  was  his  infatuation  that  he 
refused  to  listen  to  their  advice,  and  never  even  invited  them 
to  a  conference.104 

The  marching  order  accordingly  remained  in  force.  On 
the  27th  of  July  the  array  broke  camp  and  proceeded  south- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  209 

ward.  The  complaint  that  there  were  not  pro  visions  and  forage 
for  a  single  day,  was  disposed  of  with  the  remark  that  the 
wagons  coming  from  the  North,  laden  with  provisions,  par- 
ticularly rum,  would  come  up  with  the  army  in  two  days  at 
farthest. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

CAMP  BROKEN  JULY  27,  1780. — MARCH  TO  THE  SOUTH. — KALB  IN  COMMAND  or 
A  DIVISION. — POVERTY  AND  DESOLATION  OP  THE  COUNTRY  TO  BE  TRAVERSED. 
— THE  SOLDIERS  BADLY  CLOTHED  AND  FED. — THE  PROMISED  SUPPLIES 
FAIL  TO  ARRIVE. — GATES  EXPECTS  ASSISTANCE  FROM  THE  STATE  OF  NORTH 
CAROLINA. — Is  DISAPPOINTED. — GATES'  LKTTER  TO  GOVERNOR  NASH. — 
THREATENED  MUTINY  AMONG  THK  TROOPS. — GATES  BEGINS  TO  APPRECIATE 
THE  DIFFICULTIES  WHICH  SURROUND  HIM. — His  EXCUSES. — KALB  IN  FAVOR 
OF  TAKING  THK  ROAD  WHICH  LEADS  TO  THE  RIGHT. — GATES  FORMS  A 
JUNCTION  WITH  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  MILITIA  UNDEB  CASWELL. — CON- 
TENTMENT OF  THE  TROOPS. — NEGLIGENCE  OF  THE  MILITIA. — POSITION  OP 
THE  ENEMY. — RAWDON  AND  CORNWALLIS. — THE  FORMER  TAKES  A  POSI- 
TION ON  LITTLE  LYNCH  CREEK,  FIFTEEN  MILES  NORTH  OF  CAMDEN. — 
STRONG  POSITION  OF  THE  ENEMY. — GATES  MARKS  NO  ATTEMPT  TO  FLANK 
HIM,  BUT  TURNS  OFF  TO  THE  RIGHT. — LORD  RAWDON  CONCENTRATES  HIS 
FORCES  AT  CAMDEN. — GATES  WEAKENS  HIMSELF  BY  SENDING  A  DETACH- 
MENT TO  SUMTER. — His  ARMY  ON  THE  EVE  OF  THE  BATTLE. — DEPARTURE 
FROM  CLERMONT  FOR  CAMDEN. — ORDER  OF  MARCH.— LORD  CORNWALLIS  AT 
CAMDEN. — AN  AMERICAN  COUNCIL  OF  WAR  RESOLVES  TO  ATTACK  HIM. — 
STRENGTH  OF  THE  AMERICAN  FORCES. — KALB  is  OPPOSED  TO  A  BATTLE. — 
GATES  ELATED.— HE  REGARDS  CORNWALLIS  AS  HIS  PRISONER  IN  ADVANCE. 
— CORSWALLIS  ALSO  RESOLVES  TO  GlVE  BATTLE. — HlS  MOTIVES. — BOTH 
ARMIES  BREAK  CAMP  ON  THE  16TH  OF  AUGUST. — THEY  MEET  HALF-WAY 
BETWEEN  CLERMONT  AND  CAMDSN. — SKIRMISH  OF  OUTPOSTS. — GATES  CALLS 
A  COUNCIL  OF  WAR. — OKDERS  THE  ATTACK. — KALB  SILENT. — His  REASONS. 
— ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  GROUND  ON  THE  SIDE  OF  THE  BRITISH. — THEIR  OR- 
DER OF  BATTLE,  AND  THAT  OF  THE  AMERICANS. — ADVANTAGES  OF  THE 
ENGLISH  POSITION. — GATES'  ERRORS. — CORNWALLIS  TAKES  PROMPT  ADVAN- 
TAGE OF  THEM. — HE  ORDERS  THK  ATTACK. — FLIGHT  OF  TUB  AMERICAN 
CENTRE  AND  LEFT  WING. — GATES  INVOLVED  IN  IT. — KALB  IN  COMMAND  ON 
THE  FIELD  OF  BATTLE. — His  VIGOROUS  RESISTANCE  AND  FALL. — BRAVERY 
OF  THE  MARYLAND  DIVISION. — IT  is  OVERCOME  BY  NUMBERS,  AND  FLIES. 
Loss  OF  THE  AMERICANS. — KALB  STRIPPED  TO  HIS  SHIKT. — HB  BLEEDS 


LIPEOFKALB.  211 

FROM  ELEVEN  WOUNDS.  —  CORNWALLIS  RECOGNIZES  HIM.  —  HE  is  BROUGHT 
TO  CAMDEN.  —  DIES  THERE  ON  THE  19TH  OF  AUGUST.  —  His  LAST  LETTER 
TO  HIS  SOLDIERS.  —  His  FUNERAL.  —  TESTIMONY  OF  GATES  AND  WASHING- 
TON. —  CONGRESS  RESOLVES  TO  ERECT  A  MONUMENT  TO  KA.LB  AT  ANNAPO- 
LIS. —  ITS  INSCRIPTION.  —  THE  RESOLUTION  NEVER  EXECUTED. 


march  of  the  little  army,  which,  for  want  of  horses, 
was  even  compelled  to  leave  behind  two  of  its  eight 
field-pieces  at  Deep  River,  took  the  direction  of  Buffalo  Ford 
and  the  enemy's  advanced  posts  on  Lynch  Creek,  whence  it 
proceeded  directly  toward  Camden  in  South  Carolina,  where 
Lord  Rawdon  was  then  posted.  Gates  hoped  to  induce  him 
to  retreat  without  firing  a  gun,  and  in  that  case  to  follow 
him  up  to  Charleston  itself, 

Kalb  was  again  in  command  of  his  division  of  the  "  Grand 
Army,"  as  the  force  of  about  three  thousand  men  was  called 
by  the  commanding  general  in  the  orders  of  the  day  of  July 
26th.  Cotton's  Farm  was  reached  on  the  28th  of  July,  and 
Kimborough's  on  the  29th.  On  the  30th  and  31st  the  march 
was  interrupted  by  a  terrific  thunderstorm.  The  land  traversed 
was  poor  and  desolate,  hardly  reclaimed  from  its  natural 
condition,  and  rather  worse  even  than  the  gloomy  descriptions 
which  had  been  made  of  it.  The  first  rude  efforts  at  civiliza- 
tion and  culture  which  appeared  here  and  there,  had  been 
either  abandoned  by  their  owners  or  plundered  by  their 
neighbors.  All  men  had  fled  this  wilderness,  many  of  them 
to  join  some  of  the  numerous  bands  of  adventurers  who 
held  out  promises  of  protection  to  their  adherents  until  the 
anxiously  expected  English  soldiery  should  arrive.  In  conse- 
quence, the  distress  and  misery  of  the  troops  increased  from 
day  to  day.  They  were  told  that  the  banks  of  the  Pedee 
were  exceedingly  fertile  —  and  so  they  proved  ;  but  the  pre- 
ceding harvest  was  exhausted,  and  the  green  corn,  though 


212  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

fair  and  plentiful,  not  yet  ripe  enough  to  be  eaten.  Many  of 
the  soldiers,  driven  by  hunger,  cut  the  green  ears,  and 
boiled  them  with  the  meat  of  the  half-starved  cattle  found  in 
the  woods.  A  meal  of  this  sort  was  not  unpalatable,  but  had 
the  most  destructive  effect  on  the  health  of  the  troops.  In 
the  absence  of  bread,  half-ripe  peaches  were  also  consumed, 
with  similar  results.  The  officers,  aware  of  the  danger  of 
such  nourishment  taken  without  any  salt,  and  with  a  trifling 
addition  of  lean  meat,  eat  nothing  but  the  latter,  boiled  or 
roasted.  It  occurred  to  some  of  them  that  the  hair-powder 
which  they  carried  would  thicken  the  soup ;  and  they  used 
it  as  food.106  The  supplies  of  provisions  and  rum,  promised 
by  Gates  on  taking  up  the  line  of  march,  were,  of  course,  not 
forthcoming;  but  the  soldiers  were  again  consoled  and 
amused  with  a  fresh  instalment  of  splendid  promises.  The 
late  storm,  it  was  said,  had  detained  the  provision  trains,  but 
an  abundance  would  shortly  arrive,  and  the  general  would 
take  every  precaution  to  prevent  a  return  of  such  privations. 
Relying  on  this  assurance,  the  soldiers  bore  up  against  hun- 
ger and  want  with  patient  resignation  and  unbroken  forti- 
tude. 

The  little  army  reached  the  Pedee  on  the  second,  and 
crossed  it  on  the  4th  of  August  at  Mark's  Ferry,  where  it 
formed  a  junction  with  the  inconsiderable  corps  of  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Porte rfield,  an  excellent  officer.  Gates'  eyes  were 
now  being  opened.  He  wrote  to  the  Governor  of  North  Caro- 
lina from  this  point,  begging  him  for  a  speedy  shipment  of 
provisions,  to  save  his  troops  from  starvation.  As  if  Kalb'a 
bitter  experiences  had  not  sufficed  to  convince  a  circumspect 
commander  that  the  indolent  executive  of  that  State  could  not 
be  depended  on  for  anything  whatever!  Gates  now  suffered 


LIFE    OF    KALB  213 

severely  for  his  gasconade ;  but,  unfortunately,  his  soldiers 
suffered  even  more  than  he  did.  His  letter  of  August  3d,  to 
Governor  Nash,  shows  that  all  the  fair  promises  he  had  made 
were  based  upon  nothing  but  the  simple-hearted  assumption 
that  the  State  of  North  Carolina  would  hasten  to  honor  the 
requisition  of  a  Federal  general. 

"  I  had  the  honor  to  address  your  Excellency  from  Hills- 
borough,  the  19th  ult,  by  General  Huger,"  Gates  says  in  this 
letter,  "  but  have  as  yet  received  no  answer.  The  distress  this 
army  has  suffered  and  still  continues  to  suffer  for  want  of 
provisions  has  perhaps  destroyed  the  finest  opportunity  that 
could  be  presented  of  driving  in  the  enemy's  advanced  posts, 
in  all  likelihood  even  unto  Charleston.  Lord  Cornwallis  is 
believed  to  be  gone  to  Savannah,  has  weakened  his  main 
body  at  Camden,  where  Lord  Rawdon  commands,  and  with- 
drawn the  troops  from  Augusta,  Cheraw,  and  Anson  Court 
House.  I'm  astonished  that  I  have  not  intelligence  of  any 
flour  coming  to  me  from  the  interior  part  of  the  State.  Your 
Excellency  cannot  believe  this  miserable  country,  already 
ravaged  by  the  enemy  and  gleaned  by  the  militia  under  the 
Generals  Caswell  and  Rutherford,  can  afford  a  liandf ul  to  me. 
I  must  believe,  from  your  Excellency's  letter  in  answer  to 
mine  from  Richmond,  that  you  had  then  done  all  you  thought 
necessary  to  provide  us.  I  am  anxious  that  this  letter  should 
find  your  Excellency  and  the  Executive  Council  at  Hills- 
borough,  exerting  all  your  authority  and  influence  to  supply 
your  almost  famished  troops  !  Flour  and  rum  are  the  articles 
the  most  in  request  in  this  climate,  which  bad  water  contrib- 
ute to  render  more  unwholesome.  Rum  is  as  necessary  to 
the  health  of  the  soldier  as  good  food.  Without  these  full 
hospitals  and  a  thin  army  will  be  all  your  State  or  that  of 


214  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Congress  can  depend  on  in  the  Southern  Department.  For 
iny  own  part,  I  have  never  lost  one  moment  in  pressing  the 
artny  forward,  from  the  instant  I  joined  them  to  this  moment ; 
and  when  I  can  do  more  it  shall  be  done.  Depend  not,  sir, 
upon  commissaries.  They  will  deceive  you.  Depend  only 
upon  honest  men  of  sound  Whig  principles,  and  whose  souls 
are  superior  to  sordid  gain.  General  Stevens  and  the  Virginia 
militia  is  halted  at  Buffalo  Ford,  fifty  miles  in  my  rear,  and 
cannot  proceed  for  want  of  provisions.  General  Rutherford's 
division  have  tents.  I  hope  those  I  wrote  for  to  your  Excel- 
lency are  in  a  fair  way  to  be  sent  forward.  I  march  to- 
morrow at  daybreak." 

Neither  supplies  nor  reinforcements  came,  and  yet  Gates 
could  not  remain  where  he  was,  and  was  compelled  to  ad- 
vance. He  marj'ied  first  to  Deep  Creek,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  6th  o"  August,  and  rested  until  the  7th.  The  men 
were  again  quieted  with  the  prospect  of  an  abundance  of 
provisions  at  May's  Mill,  and  induced  by  these  representations 
to  obey  the  order  of  march  with  alacrity ;  but,  being  again 
disappointed,  and  almost  dead  with  hunger,  their  patience 
threatened  at  last  to  forsake  them.  They  began  to  straggle, 
to  steal,  and  to  plunder.  Even  those  who  remained  in  the 
ranks  looked  dark  and  scowling,  and  a  mutiny,  which  would 
have  produced  the  most  deplorable  consequences,  was  on  the 
point  of  breaking  out,  when  the  officers,  mingling  with  the 
men,  and  reasoning  with  them,  succeeded  in  silencing  the 
murmurs  for  which  there  was,  unfortunately,  but  too  much 
foundation.  They  showed  their  own  empty  canteens  and 
haversacks,  and  convinced  the  privates  that  the  sufferings  of 
all  were  equal,  exhorted  them  to  bear  up  under  the  hardships 
of  the  hour,  and  promised  that  if  the  expected  supplies  did 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  215 

not  very  soon  arrive,  foraging  parties  should  be  sent  out  by 
every  corps  in  all  directions,  to  collect  what  little  corn  might 
still  be  stored  in  the  country,  and  bring  it  to  the  mill. 

By  great  good  fortune,  it  happened  that,  immediately 
after  this  occurrence,  a  little  stock  of  corn  was  brought  into 
the  camp.  The  mill  began  to  grind,  and  in  a  few  hours  the 
soldiers  were  served  with  a  meal  such  as  they  had  long  fore- 
gone. This  sudden  turn  of  affairs  restored  the  composure 
of  the  men,  and  they  conceived  fresh  hopes  for  the  future. 
Not  so  the  officers,  who,  at  their  own  request,  had  been  last 
served  with  rations.  However,  it  was  useless  to  complain  to 
the  commanding  general,  as  no  one  could  advise  him  how  to 
extricate  himself  at  a  blow  from  the  dilemma.  Nevertheless 
he  was  informed  of  what  took  place  in  the  camp,  and  was 
aware  of  the  critical  state  of  feeling  among  the  troops.  He 
now  began  to  appreciate  the  difficulties  pressing  upon  him, 
and,  sensible  of  the  responsibility  incurred,  he  declared  to 
Colonel  Williams,  who  since  the  6th  of  August  had  acted  as 
adjutant-general  in  place  of  Major  Armstrong,  who  was  ill, 
that  he  had  been  in  a  measure  compelled  to  take  the  route  he 
had  adopted.  General  Caswell,  he  proceeded  to  explain,  had 
evaded  every  order,  both  of  Kalb  and  of  Gates,  to  unite  his 
militia  with  the  regular  army,  being  evidently  vain  of  his 
independent  command,  and  bent  upon  some  enterprise  flat- 
tering to  his  personal  ambition.  He,  Gates,  would  like  to 
see  him  soundly  whipped,  were  it  not  that  a  defeat  would 
scatter  his  militia  and  leave  the  regulars  without  reenforce- 
ments.  Gates  therefore  considered  it  indispensable  to  coun- 
teract the  recklessness  of  Caswell,  and  to  save  him  from 
destruction,  particularly  as  he  commanded  the  only  body  of 
militia  that  had  been  raised  in  the  Carolinas.  In  this  design 


216  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

the  commanding  general  declared  himself  confirmed  by  the 
supposition  that  Caswell,  in  spite  of  his  protestations  to  the 
contrary,  was  well  supplied  with  provisions,  which,  after  a 
junction  had  been  effected,  would  redound  to  the  benefit  of 
his  own  people.  He  further  justified  his  advance  by  saying" 
that  after  he  had  gone  so  far  to  meet  the  enemy,  a  retrograde 
movement  would  not  only  discourage  the  troops,  but  alienate 
the  inhabitants,  who  had  been  induced  by  promises  of  obliv- 
ion and  protection  to  renounce  the  English  and  adhere  to  the 
Union  cause. 

Kalb  and  Williams  vainly  answered  these  arguments  by 
representing  the  poverty  of  the  country  and  the  insincerity 
and  faithlessness  of  the  inhabitants.  Kalb  was  particularly 
urgent  to  take  the  road  on  the  right,  which  led  through 
fertile  settlements  and  offered  abundance  of  forage.  Gates 
adhered  to  his  resolution,  reverted  to  his  former  self-delusions, 
and  flattered  the  soldiers  with  the  prospect  of  plentiful  sup- 
plies which  would  be  found  on  reaching  the  militia.  The 
little  corn  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  May's  Mill  was 
therefore  collected,  and  the  march  on  Camden  continued. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  5th  of  August  Gates  received  a 
letter  from  General  Caswell,  informing  him  of  his  intention 
to  attack  a  fortified  post  of  the  enemy  on  Lynch's  Creek, 
distant  about  fourteen  miles  from  his  camp.  The  Com- 
mander-in-chief therefore  immediately  resumed  his  march,  to 
effect  a  junction  with  the  militia,  and  advanced  with  rapid 
pace.  His  troops  suffered  dreadfully,  but  the  good  example 
of  the  officers,  who  shared  all  their  privations,  repressed  even 
the  faintest  signs  of  dissatisfaction.  On  the  6th  of  August, 
however,  Gates  receive/I  a  second  letter  from  Caswell,  who 
had  in  the  mean  time  discovered  that  the  enemy  threatened 


LIPEOPKALB.  217 

to  attack  him,  and  begged  for  speedy  succor.  This  sudden 
transition  from  the  offensive  to  the  defensive  is  no  less  char- 
acteristic of  Cas  well's  incompetence  and  want  of  military 
judgment,  than  his  vanity  is  revealed  by  the  opening  of  the 
letter,  which  was  delivered  by  General  W.,  one  of  his  aids. 
Gates  rode  over  that  same  afternoon  into  Caswell's  camp — 
where  he  found  the  officers  at  least  living  in  abundance,  and 
in  all  other  respects  an  almost  unparalleled  state  of  confusion 
and  disorder — and,  having  made  the  necessary  arrangements, 
effected  his  junction  with  the  North  Carolina  militia  on  the 
7th  of  August,  at  the  crossroads  distant  about  fifteen  miles 
from  Lynch's  Creek.107 

This  event  raised  the  spirits  of  the  whole  army,  the  mili- 
tia being  reassured  on  the  subject  of  a  hostile  attack,  and 
the  regulars,  who  forgot  their  privations  and  never  dared  to 
express  the  slightest  dissatisfaction,  being  flattered  at  the 
confidence  with  which  they  inspired  their  new  comrades. 
The  officers,  also,  were  on  the  best  of  terms,  and  General 
Caswell  appeared  to  be  entirely  satisfied  with  the  position 
assigned  him,  of  third  in  command.  He  commanded  the 
left  wing,  while  Kalb  was  in  charge  of  the  right,  composed 
of  regulars.  Having  united  about  noon,  the  little  army  ad- 
vanced a  few  miles  further  in  the  direction  of  the  hostile 
post  on  Lynch's  Creek,  and  then  encamped  according  to 
regulations. 

Colonel  Williams,  who  was  as  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of 
the  army  as  if  he  had  been  personally  responsible  for  it,  re- 
quested Lieutenant-colonel  Ford,  the  officer  of  the  day,  to 
visit  the  guard  with  him  at  an  unusual  hour,  in  order  to  sat- 
isfy himself  of  the  safety  of  the  left  wing.  The  guards  and 
sentinels  on  the  right  wing  were  as  vigilant  as  usual,  and 
10 


218  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

saluted  the  round  with  that  readiness  which  inspires  a  sense 
of  security ;  but  on  the  left  wing  all  was  silent.  The  pa- 
trolling officers  were  not  once  challenged,  rode  by  the  guards 
without  being  stopped,  and  found  their  way  unobstructed 
even  to  the  tents  of  generals  and  staff  officers,  some  of  whom 
complained  of  this  unnecessary  disturbance  at  an  hour  so 
unusual  among  gentlemen.  The  officers  of  the  preceding 
day  were  called,  and  guards  and  patrols  arranged,  to  secure 
the  camp  against  surprise.108 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  August  the  enemy  had 
disappeared.  Under  the  guise  of  offensive  movements,  the 
officer  commanding  at  Lynch's  Creek  had  quitted  this  post, 
and  skilfully  withdrawn  all  his  force  unmolested  to  a  much 
stronger  position  on  Little  Lynch's  Creek.  The  latter  was 
but  a  day's  march  from  Camden,  which,  being  the  depot  of 
provisions  for  the  British  troops  scattered  through  the  coun- 
try, was  strongly  fortified  and  well  garrisoned  under  Lord 
Rawdon.  That  general  had  been,  since  the  beginning  of 
June,  in  command  of  the  advanced  posts  of  the  army,  which 
were  destined  to  invade  North  Carolina,  and  only  kept  back 
until  the  autumn  by  the  heat  and  the  want  of  provisions, 
while  Lord  Cornwallis,  who,  since  the  return  of  Sir  Henry 
Clinton,  had  the  command-in-chief  of  the  four  thousand 
English  troops  scattered  over  the  Southern  provinces,  had 
his  headquarters  at  Charleston.  On  receiving  the  news  of 
the  approach  of  the  Americans  under  Gates,  Lord  Rawdon 
marched  from  Camden  to  meet  them,  took  up  a  well-fortified 
position  at  the  distance  of  about  fourteen  miles  from  that 
place,  and  called  in  the  detachments  which  were  scattered 
over  the  country  to  support  the  foraging  parties  sent  to  scour 
the  land  in  all  directions.10' 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  219 

Gates  likewise  directed  his  march  upon  Little  Lynch's 
Creek.  His  situation  was  already  desperate;  he  had  no 
choice.  To  turn  to  the  left,  toward  Black  River,  was  no 
longer  justifiable,  because  then  Camden,  with  its  hostile 
garrison,  would  have  been  interposed  between  the  army  and 
the  reinforcements  expected  from  Virginia,  and  because  the 
North  Carolina  refugees  could  not  then  have  been  attached 
to  the  army.  To  advance  on  the  right,  by  way  of  the  flour- 
ishing settlements  on  the  Waxhaw,  was  now  out  of  the 
question,  because  a  march  to  these  regions,  two  or  three 
days'  journey  away  from  the  road,  would  have  resembled  a 
flight,  and  frightened  off  the  volunteers  from  North  Caro- 
lina. So  the  troops  marched  on  without  any  fixed  design 
being  entertained,  or  any  one  knowing  what  was  next  to  be 
done.  Gates,  however,  began  to  reflect  that  it  was  danger- 
ous to  approach  an  enemy  of  whose  strength  he  had  no  cer- 
tain knowledge,  and  therefore  ordered  the  heavy  baggage, 
as  well  as  a  part  of  the  women  and  children  following  the 
camp,  back  to  Charlotte.  On  arriving  at  Little  Lynch  Creek 
he  found  the  enemy  posted  south  of  the  stream,  on  a  height 
commanding  the  approaches.  The  road  to  it  from  the  North 
led  over  a  dam  to  the  steep  bank  of  a  creek  which  wound 
its  way  through  a  deep,  marshy  bed,  crossed  by  a  wooden, 
bridge.  A  broad  marsh  extended  northward  from  the  creek, 
which  for  miles  could  only  be  traversed  in  full  view  of  the 
hostile  works.  The  enemy  showed  no  disposition  to  give  up 
these  advantages,  without  at  least  feeling  the  pulse  of  the 
assailants ;  and  Gates  saw  that  he  must  take  the  bull  by  the 
horns  if  he  would  attack  him  in  front.  Had  he  possessed 
sufficient  military  shrewdness,  he  would  have  turned  Lord 
Rawdon's  Tank  by  a  forced  march  up  the  creek,  and  entered 


220  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Camden  unopposed,  where  the  royal  troops  had  then  not  yet 
found  time  to  unite.110  Instead  of  this  he  diverged  from  the 
straight  road  to  Camden,  turned  to  the  right,  and  ordered 
Colonel  Hall,  with  a  body  of  about  three  hundred  men,  after 
having  covered  the  left  wing  until  it  should  be  safe  from 
surprise,  to  take  up  the  rear  of  the  column. 

The  English  discovered  this  manoeuvre  in  time,  and  thus 
had  leisure  to  return  to  Camden  unmolested  on  the  1 1th  of 
August,  where  they  were  joined  by  the  British  garrison  hith- 
erto posted  at  Clermont,  or  Rugeley's  Mills,  on  the  northern 
road.  Lord  Rawdon  concentrated  all  his  forces  at  Camden, 
and  fortified  the  place  as  strongly  as  possible,  in  hourly  ex- 
pectation of  the  arrival  of  Lord  Cornwallis  from  Charleston. 
He  had  learned  from  his  spies  that  General  Stevens,  with  a 
brigade  of  Virginia  militia,  was  on  the  way  to  reenforce  Gates, 
and  that  Marion  below  Camden  and  Sumter  above  were  call- 
ing the  inhabitants  to  arms ;  in  short,  that  in  a  few  weeks  the 
whole  country  would  once  more  be  arrayed  against  the 
British.  He  therefore  suffered  Gates  to  advance  unmolested 
to  Clermont,  about  thirteen  miles  north  of  Camden,  where 
the  Americans  encamped  on  the  13th  of  August,  and  were 
joined  on  the  14th  by  the  Virginia  militia  under  Stevens. 

While  Gates  lay  at  Clermont,  he  received  a  despatch  from 
Sumter  requesting  reinforcements  for  his  little  troop,  to  ena- 
ble him  to  intercept  a  train  of  goods  on  its  way  to  Camden. 
Without  a  moment's  hesitation  the  commanding  general  com- 
plied with  this  request,  and,  on  the  eve  of  a  decisive  struggle, 
when  every  man  and  every  gun  was  certain  to  be  needed,  he 
detached  Colonel  Woolford,  with  four  hundred  men,  one  hun- 
dred of  them  being  regulars,  and  two  guns,  to  Sumter's  assist- 
ance. This  step  admits  of  no  explanation  except  the  conjecture 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  221 

that  Gates  expected  Rawdon  to  evacuate  Camden  also,  and 
offer  no  resistance  anywhere.  But  even  on  that  supposition  he 
was  not  justified  in  weakening  himself  in  the  face  of  the  enemy, 
so  as  to  be  unprepared  for  contingencies.  His  course  was  so 
much  the  more  to  be  censured  as  the  train  would  have  been 
certain  to  fall  into  his  hands  at  any  rate  if  the  anticipated 
battle  should  end  in  a  victory,  while,  in  case  of  defeat,  it  was 
equally  sure  to  be  recaptured  from  Sumter,  even  supposing 
the  latter  to  be  successful  in  taking  it.  This  last  was  the  con- 
tingency which  actually  occurred.  Tarleton  not  only  deprived 
Sumter  of  everything  he  had  captured  a  mile  from  Camden, 
but  also  made  prisoners  of  the  greater  part  of  Woolford's 
command. 

By  the  junction  with  the  Virginians,  the  main  army  had 
increased  its  numbers,  but  by  no  means  its  strength.  The 
expected  supplies,  also,  were  not  forthcoming.  The  friends 
of  the  American  cause  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Camden  were 
so  much  surprised  by  the  sudden  arrival  of  Gates'  troops, 
whose  approach  on  such  secluded  roads  they  had  regarded  as 
an  impossibility,  that  they  had  not  made  the  slightest  prepa- 
rations for  the  transportation  of  provisions  and  forage.  Thus 
the  army  lived  from  hand  to  mouth,  without  any  stock  of 
necessaries.  Stevens  brought  nothing  except  a  few  West 
India  productions,  particularly  molasses.  This  was  issued  to 
the  soldiers  as  a  stimulant,  in  place  of  rum  or  whiskey,  in 
consideration  of  the  excessive  fatigues  encountered  during  the 
last  two  days.  The  consequ-  nee  was  that  the  men,  who  had 
subsisted  almost  exclusively  «  n  bread  baked,  or  i\;ther  scorch- 
ed, of  half  green  corn,  were  seized  with  a  violent  diarrhoea 
on  the  very  eve  of  the  battle,  so  that  whole  ranks  were  con- 
stantly broken  up  on  the  march  to  Camden. 


222  LIFE     OF    KA.LB. 

On  the  15th  of  August  Gates  sent  the  sick,  the  heavy 
baggage,  and  all  the  camp  equipage  that  could  be  spared,  to 
Washaw.  This  order  was  unfortunately  not  executed  in  time, 
so  that  the  baggage  wagons  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
after  the  loss  of  the  battle.  On  the  same  day  the  order  for 
the  march  to  Camden  was  issued,  which  was  to  be  taken  up 
at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  in  the  following  order :  The 
advance  was  formed  by  a  part  of  Armand's  legion,  then  came 
the  cavalry  under  Colonel  Armand  himself,  whose  right  and 
left  flanks  were  covered  by  Colonel  Potterfield  and  Major 
Armstrong  with  the  light  infantry,  marching  in  Indian  file  at 
a  distance  of  two  hundred  yards  from  the  road.  They  were 
followed  in  regular  order  by  the  First  and  Second  Maryland 
brigades  and  the  North  Carolina  and  the  Virginia  division, 
each  command  being  preceded  by  its  artillery.  The  rear  was 
again  covered  by  volunteer  cavalry.  In  case  of  an  attack  by 
the  enemy's  cavalry  in  front,  the  light  infantry  on  either  flank 
were  directed  to  advance  immediately,  and  open  a  heavy  fire, 
under  cover  of  which  Colonel  Armand  was  to  resist  the  at- 
tack, and,  if  possible,  to  drive  the  enemy.  The  troops  were 
commanded,  oa  pain  of  death,  to  march  in  profound  silence. 

On  issuing  this  order,  Gates  was  ignorant  that  Cornwallis 
had  in  the  mean  time  reenforced  Lord  Rawdon  at  Camden ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  regarded  his  own  command  as 
numbering  seven  thousand  men.  Adjutant-General  Williams 
speedily  undeceived  him  on  this  head,  by  showing,  from  the 
morning  reports  of  the  regiments,  that  on  the  morning  of  the 
15th  of  August  but  3,052  men  were  fit  for  duty.  But  be- 
fore the  approach  of  Lord  Cornwallis  was  known,  and  before 
the  true  state  of  the  forces  could  be  submitted,  Gates  had 
called  a  council  of  war,  and  had  laid  his  plan  before  them, 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  223 

based  on  the  erroneous  estimate  of  his  numbers.  It  would 
seem  that  no  serious  opposition  was  manifested,  either  because 
the  majority  of  the  officers  considered  the  imaginary  seven 
thousand  men  sufficient  to  overcome  the  British,  or  because 
the  subordinate  generals  had  satisfied  themselves  of  the  futil- 
ity of  any  objections,  even  if  ever  so  well  founded,  to  the  pro 
posals  of  the  commander-in-chief.  Kalb  alone  was  strenuously 
in  favor  of  remaining  at  Clermont  for  the  present,  of  still  further 
fortifying  this  naturally  strong  position,  which,  according  to 
the  representations  of  Governor  Nash,  of  North  Carolina,  a 
hundred  men  could  have  held  against  the  whole  British  force, 
and  of  waiting  for  more  definite  information  in  regard  to  the 
enemy,  who  might  possibly  have  been  reenforced.  He  further 
showed  that  it  would  better  suit  the  motley  composition  of 
the  American  army  to  act  on  the  defensive,  than  to  stake  the 
result  of  the  whole  campaign  on  a  single  die,  and  adverted  to 
the  fact  that  the  raw  militia  composing  the  bulk  of  the  force, 
had  never  mano3uvred  together,  and  therefore  could  not  be 
expected  to  form  column,  and  still  less  to  execute  even  more 
difficult  movements  at  night.111  A  consultation,  however, 
was  not  Gates'  object ;  he  merely  wanted  the  sanction  of  his 
plan  by  the  council,  and  caused  it  to  be  read  without  calling 
for  a  vote.  In  spite,  therefore,  of  the  ill  feeling  provoked  by 
his  conduct,  which  found  expression  after  the  close  of  the 
sitting,  and  in  spite  of  the  indignation  of  Colonel  Armand,  in 
being  ordered,  with  his  cavalry,  to  the  front  of  an  advancing 
column  in  the  depth  of  night,  a  measure  contrary  to  every 
principle  of  tactics,  and  in  which  that  commander  saw  a  piece 
of  petty  revenge  and  insult  levelled  at  himself,  the  dispositions 
made  by  Gates  were  not  departed  from.  The  advice  of  the 
veteran  trained  in  the  school*  of  Marshals  Saxe  and  Loewen- 


224  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

dal,  and  in  the  manifold  experience  of  the  Seven  Years'  War, 
remained  unheard,  and  the  army  set  out  at  the  appointed 
hour,  in  order,  as  the  commanding  general  fondly  dreamed, 
to  surprise  the  enemy  at  night  and  win  an  easy  victory. 
According  to  Thatcher,  Gates  is  said  to  have  answered  the 
remark  of  an  officer,  that  possibly  he  might  have  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  opposed  to  him,  by  saying  that  the  English  general 
would  not  dare  to  meet  him  face  to  face.  When  another 
officer,  shortly  before  the  march  upon  Camden,  observed  that 
he  was  curious  to  know  where  he  could  dine  to-morrow,  the 
confident  general  returned,  "  Dine,  sir  ?  why  where  but  in 
Camden  ?  I  wouldn't  give  a  pinch  of  snuff  for  the  certainty 
of  eating  my  beefsteak  at  Camden  to-morrow,  and  seeing  Lord 
Cornwallis  my  guest  at  the  table."  na 

Henry  Lee  says  of  the  too  self  relying  Gates,  in  his  Memoirs 
of  the  South  :  "  Calculating  proudly  on  the  weight  of  his 
name,  he  appears  to  have  slighted  the  perquisites  to  victory, 
and  to  have  hurried  on  to  the  field  of  battle  with  the  impetu- 
osity of  youth  ;  a  memorable  instance  of  the  certain  destruc- 
tion which  awaits  the  soldier  who  does  not  know  how  to  es- 
timate prosperity.  If  good  fortune  begets  presumption,  in- 
stead of  increasing  circumspection  and  diligence,  it  is  the  sure 
precursor  of  deep  and  bitter  adversity." 

During  these  ill-considered  preparations  on  the  part  of  the 
Americans,  Lord  Cornwallis  and  Rawdon  had  been  far  from 
idle.  The  latter,  evidently  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  his  main 
position  by  the  apparent  confidence  of  the  American  general, 
no  sooner  saw  the  enemy  advancing  upon  Camden,  than  he 
wrote  to  his  superior  for  assistance  and  support.  These  de- 
spatches induced  Cornwallis  to  leave  Charleston  on  the  10th 
of  August,  and  to  reach  Camden  with  his  troops  on  the  even- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  225 

ing  of  the  13th.  He  devoted  the  14th  to  an  examination  of 
the  position  and  strength  of  his  forces,  eight  hundred  of  whom 
were  lying  in  the  hospital  at  Camden,  and  to  inquiries  into 
the  condition  and  movements  of  the  enemy,  whose  numbers 
were  reported  to  him  as  running  up  to  six  thousand  effectives. 
The  English  commander  was  shrewd  enough  to  see  that  if  he 
wished  to  preserve  his  communication  with  the  sea,  he  must 
choose  between  retreating  at  once  to  Charleston  or  giving 
battle.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation  he  adopted  the  latter 
alternative.113  For  he  would  have  been  compelled  to  leave 
his  sick  behind  him  at  Camden,  and  to  have  abandoned  the 
entire  province  just  conquered,  if  he  had  returned  to  Charles- 
ton without  an  engagement,  while  a  battle  could  have  led  to 
such  a  result  only  in  the  most  unfavorable  contingency.  To 
this  must  be  added  the  discontent  and  sedition  manifested  not 
only  in  the  country  travelled  by  Gates,  but  also  in  the  dis- 
tricts east  of  the  Santee'and  west  of  the  Wateree,  against  the 
newly-restored  English  supremacy,  and  which  threatened  to 
ripen  into  open  rebellion  on  the  approach  of  the  American 
army,  as  well  as  of  the  partisan  leaders  Sumter  and  Marion, 
Not  a  moment  was,  therefore,  to  be  lost ;  every  delay  could 
but  increase  the  perils  of  the  English  army;  a  decisive  en- 
counter must  be  risked.  Nothing  but  a  victory  could  extri- 
cate him  from  his  position.  The  more  speedy  the  decision, 
the  better  the  hope  of  success.  Cornwallis,  who  reports  the 
number  of  his  own  troops  at  2,233  men,  therefore  resolved 
immediately  to  fall  upon  the  enemy  at  his  position  near  Cler- 
mout,  or  Rugeley's  Mills,  and  gave  the  command  to  break 
camp  at  10  o'clock  p.  M.  of  the  15th  of  August,  in  the  hope 
of  surprising  him  at  daybreak  of  the  16th.  His  army  took 
up  their  line  of  march  in  the  following  order:  The  leading 
10* 


226  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

division,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Webster,  consisted,  in  the 
first  instance,  of  an  advance  of  twenty  troopers  and  an  equal 
number  of  legionaries,  who  rested  upon  a  company  of  light 
infantry,  followed  by  the  Twenty-third  and  Thirtieth  regiments. 
The  centre,  under  Lord  Rawdon's  command,  was  formed  by 
the  Irish  volunteers,  the  infantry  legion,  Hamilton's  North  Car- 
olina regiment,  and  Colonel  Bryan's  militia,  composed  of  ref- 
ugees. The  reserve  consisted  of  two  battalions  of  the 
Seventy-first,  while  the  dragoons  of  the  legion  brought  up  the 
rear.  Four  field-pieces  were  with  the  divisions  of  the  front 
and  centre,  and  two  with  the  reserve.114 

We  have  seen  above  that  Gates  struck  his  tents  at  the 
very  same  hour,  also  intending  to  surprise  the  English  at 
Camden.  Thus,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  both  these  armies 
marched  against  each  other  at  the  same  time,  each  ignorant 
of  the  designs  of  the  other.  The  night  was  sultry,  and  the 
air  as  oppressively  hot  as  in  the  daytime.  The  sky  was  clear 
and  bright  with  stars.  The  sound  of  footsteps  was  stifled  by 
the  deep  sand.  As  the  entire  distance  between  Clermont 
and  Camden  is  but  twelve  or  thirteen  English  miles,  the 
British  and  Americans  met  half  way  at  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  about  half  a  mile  north  of  Saunders'  Creek.  It  was  a 
glade  in  the  pine  forest,  which  fell  off  gently  toward  the 
creek,  and  was  bounded  on  each  flank  by  impenetrable  marsh- 
es, leaving  but  little  space  for  the  formation  of  the  troops. 
The  Americans  were  apprised,  by  a  pretty  brisk  skirmishing  fire 
opened  by  the  English  legion,  that  they  were  within  gunshot 
of  the  enemy.  Some  of  Armand's  troopers,  wounded  at  the 
first  discharge,  fled  hastily  to  the  rear,  and  threw  the  whole 
legion  into  confusion.  The  latter  fell  back  upon  the  front  of 
the  infantry,  marching  lehind  them,  not  only  imparting  their 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  227 

own  panic  to  the  First  Maryland  brigade,  but  spreading  uni- 
versal terror  through  the  army.  The  light  infantry,  on  the 
contrary,  under  Major  Porterfield,  who  was  mortally  wound- 
ed on  the  occasion,  gallantly  bore  the  shock  of  the  English 
cavalry,  and  repulsed  them  by  a  well-sustained  fire.  The 
enemy  appeared  to  be  no  less  astonished  at  this  sudden 
collision  than  the  Americans,  and  both  parties,  as  if  by  com- 
mon consent,  suspended  hostilities  until  daybreak.  On  either 
side  they  availed  themselves  of  the  brief  respite  thus  afforded, 
to  ascertain  the  position  and  numbers  of  the  enemy.  On  this 
occasion  Adjutant-General  Williams  learned,  for  the  first 
time,  from  some  prisoners,  that  Lord  Cornwallis  himself  was 
in  command,  that  they  numbered  about  three  thousand,  and 
that  they  were  drawn  up  within  five  or  six  hundred  yards  of 
the  American  front. 

Gates  could  not  conceal  his  amazement  at  this  news,  and, 
as  soon  as  order  had  been  restored  in  the  infantry,  and  the 
army  formed  in  line  of  battle,  he  caused  the  adjutant-general 
to  convoke  a  council  of  war.  When  Williams  brought  the 
invitation  to  General  Kalb,  and  informed  him  of  what  had 
taken  place,  the  latter  inquired,  "  Well,  did  not  the  com- 
manding general  immediately  order  a  retreat?"  The  gen- 
erals and  regimental  commanders  assembled  in  the  rear  of 
the  American  line,  and  received  the  unwelcome  news. 
"  You  know  our  situation.  What  had  we  better  do,  gentle- 
men ?  "  cried  Gates.  For  a  moment  no  one  answered  ;  then 
the  brave  but  headlong  Stevens  broke  the  painful  silence  by 
exclaiming,  "  We  must  fight,  gentlemen ;  it  is  not  yet  too 
late ;  we  can  do  nothing  else,  we  must  fight !  " 11B  In  such  an 
exigency  the  counsel  first  given,  be  it  good  or  bad,  prudent 
or  silly,  is  sure  to  be  followed.  The  further  it  goes  the  less 


228  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

will  it  be  opposed,  because  in  an  assembly  of  mixed  material, 
driven  to  an  immediate  decision,  cool  and  quiet  deliberation 
must  always  yield  to  the  pressure  of  the  moment,  and  reason 
give  place  to  passion.  It  would  seem  as  if  each  individual 
dreaded  the  responsibility,  and,  for  that  very  reason,  grasped 
the  most  extravagant  opinion,  if  only  uttered  with  an  air 
of  confidence,  as  if  to  show  that  he  did  not  recoil  at  the 
most  decided  measures.  Possibly,  also,  one  or  the  other  of 
the  company  may  have  considered  courage  the  only  requi- 
fiite  of  a  good  soldier;  in  short,  Stevens'  proposal  met  with 
no  opposition,  and  Gates  gave  the  fatal  order  to  attack  by 
saying,  "  We  must  fight,  then !  Hasten  to  your  posts,  gen- 
tlemen." 

According  to  some  accounts  Kalb  advised  a  retreat  to 
Clermont,  there  to  await  the  enemy's  attack,  which  led  to 
an  altercation  between  him  and  Gates,  in  the  course  of 
which  the  latter  expressed  doubts,  of  his  courage ;  but  neither 
internal  nor  external  reasons  support  this  story.  Gates 
himself  was  a  man  of  too  much  refinement  to  have  used  such 
insulting  expressions,  even  if  he  had  entertained  such  an 
opinion.  And  then  it  is  in  keeping  with  Kalb's  turn  of  mind, 
after  his  first  suggestion  of  a  retreat  had  been  disregarded, 
to  resign  himself  to  the  dictates  of  his  superu  r,  and  not  ex- 
pend further  solicitations  on  a  general  whos^  infatuation 
had  shown  itself  quite  incurable.  Finally,  we  have  the  pos- 
itive testimony  of  one  who  took  an  active  part  in  all  these 
transactions,  in  the  narrative  of  Adjutant-General  Williams, 
who  expressly  says  that  Kalb  did  not  make  the  slightest 
objection  to  the  proposal  of  General  Stevens.  There  is  no 
reason  whatever  to  doubt  the  assertion  of  this  most  reliable 
•witness,  who  repeatedly  says  that  every  word  of  his  report, 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  229 

which  was  written  immediately  after  the  occurrences  took 
place,  that  he  was  prepared  to  make  oath  to  the  most  minute 
details. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  two  armies  were  drawn  up  in  line 
of  battle  before  dawn. 

The  advantage  of  the  ground  was  clearly  on  the  side  of 
Lord  Cornwallis,  because,  where  he  stood,  the  marshes  to  the 
right  and  left  of  the  road  approached  each  other  most  nearly, 
and  not  only  protected  both  his  flanks,  but  more  than  counter- 
vailed the  numerical  superiority  of  the  enemy.  He  formed 
his  right  wing  of  the  front  division  of  Lieutenant-colonel 
Webster,  consisting  of  the  light  infantry  and  the  Twenty- 
third  and  Thirty-third  regiments,  and  his  left  wing  of  Lord 
Rawdon's  division,  the  composition  of  which  has  already  been 
given.  The  two  divisions  ranged  themselves  on  the  right 
and  left  of  the  road  and  of  each  other,  so  that  the  Thirty- 
third,  Webster's  left  wing,  occupying  the  right  of  the  road, 
and  the  Irish  Volunteer  regiment,  on  Lord  Rawdon's  left, 
resting  its  left  upon  the  road,  together  constituted  the  centre 
of  the  army.  Two  six-pounders  and  two  three-pounders, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Macleod,  of  artillery,  were  posted 
in  the  front,  and  to  the  left  of  the  road.  The  Seventy-first 
regiment  was  in  the  rear,  its  first  battalion  supporting  the 
right,  and  its  second  the  left  wing.  The  cavalry  under  Tarle- 
ton  was  on  the  right  of  the  road  in  the  rear  of  both  lines, 
and  near  the  first  battalion  of  the  reserve,  prepared,  as  circum- 
stance might  dictate,  to  assail  the  enemy,  or  come  to  the 
rescue  of  their  own  infantry. 

On  the  American  side  Kalb  was  charged  with  the  forma- 
tion of  the  line.  He  took  the  command  of  the  right  wing, 
consisting  of  the  Second  Maryland  brigade  under  General 


230  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Gist,  and  the  Delaware  regiment,  and  which,  like  the  English 
left,  rested  its  flank  on  a  deep  morass.  The  North  Carolina 
militia  under  General  Caswell  formed  the  centre,  and  the 
Virginia  militia  under  General  Stevens  the  left,  while  the  First 
Maryland  brigade  under  General  Smallwood  occupied  the 
second  line  as  a  reserve.  Two  pieces  of  artillery  were  planted 
on  Gist's  right  flank,  and  two  on  the  right  and  two  on  the 
left  of  the  centre.  Armand's  mounted  legion  were  to  have 
covered  the  right  flank  of  the  American  force,  but  they  had 
been  seized  by  a  panic  and  had  fled  disgracefully  at  the  first 
attack  in  the  night,  so  that  they  were  of  no  account  in  the 
formation  of  the  line  and  the  subsequent  events  of  the  day. 
This  want  of  cavalry  was  destined  to  be  but  too  severely  felt 
in  the  course  of  the  action. 

The  mere  disposition  of  the  two  armies  shows  the  advan- 
tages enjoyed  in  every  respect  by.  the  British  over  the 
Americans.  The  front  of  Lord  Cornwallis  was  strong  not 
only  in  the  personal  valor  of  the  troops,  almost  all  belonging 
to  the  regular  forces,  and  all  of  them  veterans  in  comparison 
to  the  Americans,  but  also  by  the  better  distribution  of  the 
artillery ;  above  all  its  reserve,  and  especially  the  reserve 
under  Tarleton,  was  more  reliable  and  better  posted.  This 
compact  and  war-worn  line  was  opposed  by  raw  militia,  who 
had  never  seen  an  enemy,  and  who  regarded  the  English 
troops,  excellent  as  they  were,  with  even  greater  awe  than 
the  facts  warranted.  Gates  committed  the  additional  blunder 
of  posting  the  First  Maryland  brigade  in  reserve,  instead  of 
using  the  raw  militia  for  that  purpose,  and  of  stripping  his 
left  wing  of  artillery.  By  these  defects,  partly  inherent  in 
the  character  of  his  troops,  and  partly  arising  out  of  his  own 
lack  of  judgment,  he  more  than  neutralized  the  advantages 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  281 

which  would  otherwise  have  accrued  from  the  inferior  nuin 
bers  of  Lord  Cornwallis.  Nay,  not  content  with  the  errors 
already  made,  Gates,  on  seeing  the  position  of  the  English 
in  the  morning,  unexpectedly  ordered  a  gap  in  the  formation 
of  the  centre  and  right  wing  to  be  corrected,  a  measure 
doubly  prejudicial  in  the  presence  of  so  well-disciplined  a  foe, 
and  with  such  unskilled  forces  of  his  own. 

Lord  Cornwallis,  indeed,  was  too  experienced  a  commander 
no  I  to  avail  himself  of  the  chance  thus  brought  under  his 
very  eyes.  He  hastened,  on  being  apprised  of  this  new 
mistake  of  his  adversary,  to  his  right  wing,  and  personally 
ordered  Colonel  Webster  to  attack,  sending  the  same  com" 
mand  to  Lord  Rawdon  by  an  aid. 

Gates  remained  quiet,  and  seemed  disposed  to  await  the 
turn  of  events.  His  adjutant-general  suggested  that  an  im- 
mediate onset  on  the  English  while  deploying,  would  inspire 
the  militia  with  courage,  and,  if  successful,  exercise  no  little 
influence  on  the  result.  "  That's  right,"  cried  the  commander, 
who  had  evidently  been  at  a  loss  what  to  do,  "  let  General 
Stevens  attack  on  the  left  immediately."  The  latter  advanced 
boldly  at  first,  but  found  the  enemy  already  drawn  up  in  line 
of  battle.  Williams  now  endeavored  to  draw  their  fire  at  the 
greatest  possible  distance,  in  order  to  make  it  less  fearful 
to  the  militia,  and  for  that  purpose  requested  permission  to 
take  forty  or  fifty  volunteers  from  General  Stevens,  with 
whom  he  advanced,  but  without  attaining  his  object.  The 
right  wing  of  the  English  under  Webster  advanced  at  this 
moment  in  closed  ranks,  with  such  noise,  hui-rahs,  and  impet- 
uosity upon  the  militia,  just  as  the  latter  were  changing  their 
position,  that  they  were  thrown  into  confusion  and  seized  by 
a  panic,  under  the  influence  of  which  they  threw  away  their 


232  LIFE   OF   KALI;. 

loaded  pieces  at  the  first  fire  of  the  English,  and  scattered  in 
breathless  flight.  Prayers,  entreaties,  threats,  and  appeals 
to  honor  were  alike  unavailing.  General  Stevens  vainly 
exhorted  the  fugitives  to  remember  their  bayonets;  how 
could  they  remember  them,  when  they  had  only  received 
them  the  day  before,  and  were  entirely  unacquainted  with 
their  use?  The  Virginians  involved  the  North  Carolina 
militia  in  the  same  disgraceful  rout.  The  officers  unfortu- 
nately were  without  cavalry  to  enforce  their  objurgations,  and 
bring  the  runaways  to  a  stand.  It  was  not,  properly  speak- 
ing, a  tight,  but  rather  a  chase  and  scamper,  so  that  before 
the  real  engagement  had  commenced,  the  entire  American 
centre  and  left  wing,  com^x  sing  two-thirds  of  their  force, 
had  disappeared  from  the  scene  of  action,  almost  without 
firing  a  shot.  Four  hundred  men  of  Dixon's  regiment  alone 
stood  their  ground  somewhat  longer,  and  fired  once  or  twice 
on  the  enemy.118 

Gates,  who  had  taken  his  position  some  six  hundred 
paces  in  rear  of  the  line,  to  overlook  the  contest,  had  been 
carried  along  by  the  flying  militia,  and  had  left  the  field 
under  the  pretext  of  "  bringing  the  rascals  back  into  line," 
so  that  the  command-in-chief  devolved  upon  Kalb.  The 
morning  was  so  close  and  foggy  that  the  smoke  did  not  even 
rise,  but  enveloped  both  armies  in  a  cloud.  This  made  it 
difficult  to  survey  the  field,  and  obtain  a  clear  idea  of  the 
progress  of  the  battle.  In  consequence  of  the  fog  Kalb  long 
remained  ignorant  of  the  flight  of  the  left  wing  and  centre ; 
nevertheless  he  ordered  up  Smallwood  with  the  reserve,  and 
directed  him  to  form  a  junction  with  Gist ;  the  two  brigades, 
however,  were  not  large  enough  to  fill  up  the  interval  be- 
tween the  marshes.  While  the  First  Maryland  brigade  moved 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  23& 

forward  into  line,  the  right  wing  under  Kalb  took  up  the 
unequal  fight,  and  not  only  stood  their  ground,  but  success- 
fully repulsed  the  impetuous  onslaught  of  the  foe,  so  that 
the  struggle  gradually  extended  along  the  whole  line,  and 
victory  trembled  in  the  balance.  To  bring  matters  to  a 
speedy  issue,  Kalb  ordered  a  bayonet  charge  by  the  right 
wing  under  his  command,  drove  the  enemy,  and  had  just 
made  a  number  of  prisoners,  when  the  left  wing,  overpow- 
ered by  numbers  and  outflanked,  was  forced  to  fall  back. 
They  soon  rallied  and  renewed  the  contest,  but  were  again 
repulsed,  and  again  led  into  action.  The  two  brigades,  in 
consequence  of  losses,  and  in  the  heat  of  the  engagement, 
which  gradually  degenerated  into  a  hand-to-hand  scuffle, 
were  separated  by  an  interval  of  some  six  hundred  feet. 
This  was  the  turning  point  of  the  battle,  which  was  hence- 
forth on  the  side  of  the  English.  Williams  vainly  endeav- 
ored to  restore  the  connection.  On  reaching  the  right  wing, 
he  found  the  enemy  just  exchanging  a  heavy  fire  for  a  bay- 
onet charge.  Kalb  fought  at  the  head  of  the  Maryland 
second  brigade.  Three  times  he  had  advanced,  and  three  times 
retreated  before  the  force  of  numbers,  but  on  the  whole  he 
maintained  his  advantage.  His  horse  had  been  shot  under 
him,  a  sabre  stroke  laid  open  his  head.  Jaquette,  the  adjutant 
of  the  Delaware  regiment,  hastily  bandaged  the  wound  with 
his  scarf,  and  besought  his  general  to  retire  from  the  conflict. 
Instead  of  heeding  this  request  Kalb  led  his  Marylanders  to 
the  charge  on  foot.  Over  heaps  of  dead  they  went  forth  and 
back ;  his  soldiers  performed  prodigies  of  valor,  and  con- 
tested every  inch  of  ground.  The  enemy  pressed  upon  them 
with  ever  increasing  numbers,  and  forced  them  to  give  up 
the  little  advantage  they  had  gained.  The  bloody  fight  was 


284  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

hand  to  hand.  At  length  Cornwallis,  fearing  to  lose  the 
advantages  already  gained,  concentrated  all  his  force  upon 
this  point,  and  when,  at  bis  order,  a  portion  of  Tarletou's 
troopers  fell  upon  the  decimated  flanks  of  the  brave  men  of 
Maryland  and  Delaware,  the  last  taint  hope  of  maintaining 
possession  of  the  field  had  vanished.  All  that  could  be  done 
was  to  rescue  the  honor  of  the  flag.  And  once  more  Kalb, 
at  the  head  of  his  faithful  few,  rushed  upon  the  enemy ;  it 
was  the  last  time  that  his  po \veriul  voice  rang  through  the 
din  of  battle  ;  the  last  time  that,  his  sword  pointing  to  the 
foe,  he  cheered  his  men,  and  drew  them  on  to  follow  him. 
As  he  advanced  he  was  struck  by  several  balls,  and  the 
blood  poured  from  him  in  streams ;  but  he  still  had  strength 
to  cut  down  an  English  soldier,  who  had  actually  set  a  bay- 
onet on  his  breast.  Yet  his  hour  had  come.  He  was  recog- 
nized by  his  epaulets.  "  The  rebel  general,  the  rebel  gen- 
eral !  "  was  heard  in  the  English  ranks.  Mortally  struck, 
and  bleeding  from  eleven  wounds,  he  sank  exhausted  to  the 
earth.117 

The  fall  of  Kalb  decided  the  fortunes  of  the  day,  for  the 
Americans  were  now  without  a  leader.  True,  the  brigades  of 
Gist  and  Smallwood  formed  once  more,  and  advanced  to  the 
attack,  repelling  another  charge  of  the  English ;  but  at  this 
moment  Cornwallis,  incensed  at  this  obstinate  resistance, 
ordered  his  light  cavalry  to  outflank  the  American  left,  and 
take  them  in  the  rear.  This  was  done.  The  work  begun  by 
the  bayonets  of  the  British  infantry  was  finished  by  the  sa- 
bres of  Tarleton's  horse,  who  met  with  no  resistance,  owing 
to  the  want  of  cavalry  on  the  side  of  the  Continentals.  The 
remnants  of  the  Maryland  brigades  were  soon  dissolved  in 
headlong  flight.  Nothing  but  the  marshes  on  each  side  of 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  235 

the  battle-field  afforded  the  fugitives  some  protection 
against  the  pursuit  of  Tarleton's  dragoons.  Not  a  bat- 
talion,  not  a  company,  preserved  its  formation.  Gist, 
with  about  a  hundred  soldiers,  alone  retreated  in  something 
like  order.  Every  command  was  broken  up  and  scattered  in 
the  woods,  and  another  victory  so  perfect  as  this  was  not 
achieved  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  Eight  guns,  two 
thousand  stand  of  arms,  twenty-two  loads  of  ammunition, 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty  baggage  wagons,  besides  eighty 
thousand  cartridges,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors,  who 
reported  their  own  loss  at  only  sixty-eight  killed,  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  wounded,  and  eleven  missing — making  a 
total  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-four — while  the  adversa- 
ries estimate  it  at  five  hundred  or  even  seven  hundred  killed.11* 
The  loss  of  the  latter  could  not  be  ascertained,  on  account 
of  the  hasty  flight  of  the  militia.  Cornwallis  himself  sup- 
poses it  to  have  amounted  to  over  a  thousand  in  dead  and 
wounded,  besides  eight  hundred  prisoners;  according  to  re- 
liable American  accounts  the  regulars  had  six  hundred  .and 
fifty  killed  and  wounded,  being  more  than  a  third  of  the 
whole  number;  of  the  North  Carolina  militia  a  hundred  bad 
fallen,  and  three  hundred  had  been  taken  prisoners ;  while 
the  fleet-footed  Virginians  had  wounded  only,  and  no  dead. 
The  brave  Delaware  regiment  was  almost  annihilated ;  the 
remnants  barely  sufficed  to  form  a  nucleus  for  two  com- 
panies. Gist  and  Smallwood  vainly  endeavored  to  rally  the 
militia  on  the  road ;  they  were  obliged  to  continue  their 
flight  with  a  handful  of  regulars.  Gates,  who,  as  we  have 
seen  above,  had  hastened  from  the  field  at  the  beginning  of 
the  fight,  must  have  had  a  strong  and  swift  charger,  for  he 
slept  that  same  evening  at  Charlotte,  which  is  distant  sixty 
miles  from  Camden. 


236  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

But  let  us  leave  the  general  who  flies  from  his  troops,  and 
turn  to  the  hero  who  fell  fighting  to  the  last.  We  left  him 
at  the  head  of  his  command,  bleeding  from  eleven  wounds. 
Scarcely  had  his  adjutant  Dubuysson,  seen  him  fall,  when 
he  threw  himself  upon  him,  and  cried  imploringly  to  the  rag- 
ing foe,  "  Spare  and  save  the  Baron  de  Kalb !  "  The  faithful 
aid  received  with  his  own  body  the  sabre-cuts  intended  for 
his  superior.  The  British  soldiers  fell  upon  them  both,  seized 
the  general,  raised  him  to  his  feet,  leaned  him  by  his  hands 
against  a  wagon,  and  stripped  him  to  his  shirt.  As  he  stood 
in  this  miserable  plight,  with  blood  rushing  from  him  in 
streams,  Cornwallis  came  riding  up  with  his  suite.11'  "I  re- 
gret," he  said  to  his  helpless  adversary,  "  to  see  you  so  badly 
wounded,  but  am  glad  to  have  defeated  you."  He  immedi- 
ately ordered  the  prisoner  to  be  properly  cared  for,  and  his 
wounds  to  be  bandaged.  From  this  moment  the  English 
treated  the  wounded  man  with  that  kindness  and  humanity 
which  modern  warfare  vouchsafes  to  the  conquered. 

Kalb  struggled  with  death  for  three  days,  and  died  the  19th 
of  August  at  Camden,  whither  he  had  been  carried  after  the 
battle.  Dubuysson,  whose  wounds  turned  out  not  to  be  se- 
rious, was  with  him  during  this  time,  and  was  assisted  by  the 
English  officers  in  soothing  the  last  moments  of  the  dying  hero. 
Ali  his  thoughts  were  with  tiie  brave  soldiers  and  officers  of 
his  division.  Immediately  before  his  death  he  requested  Du- 
buysson to  express  to  them  his  tha.r  s  for  their  valor,  and  to 
bid  them  an  affectionate  farewell.  The  letter  to  Generals 
Gist  and  Smallwood,  in  which  the  faithful  adjutant  executes 
this  commission,  is  dated  at  Charlotte  the  26th  of  August, 
1780,  and  reads  as  follows:  m 

"Dear  Generals:  Having  received  wounds  in  the  action 
of  the  16th  instant,  I  was  made  prisoner,  with  the  Honorable 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  237 

Major-General  the  Baron  de  Kalb,  with  whom  I  served  as 
aide-de-camp  and  friend,  and  had  an  opportunity  of  attend- 
ing that  great  and  good  officer  during  the  short  time  he  lan- 
guished with  eleven  wounds,  which  proved  mortal  on  the 
third  day. 

"  It  is  with  particular  pleasure  I  obey  the  baron's  last 
commands,  in  presenting  his  most  affectionate  compliments 
to  all  the  officers  and  men  of  his  division.  He  expressed  the 
greatest  satisfaction  in  the  testimony  given  by  the  British 
army,  of  the  bravery  of  his  troops ;  and  he  was  charmed  with 
the  firm  opposition  they  made  to  superior  force,  when  aban- 
doned by  the  rest  of  the  army.  The  gallant  behavior  of  the 
Delaware  regiment  and  the  companies  of  artillery  attached 
to  the  brigades,  afforded  him  infinite  pleasure.  And  the  ex- 
emplary conduct  of  the  whole  division  gave  him  an  endear- 
ing sense  of  the  merits  of  the  troops  he  had  the  honor  to 
command. ' 

Kalb  was  buried  by  his  victorious  adversaries,  among 
whom  there  were  many  free  masons,  with  military  and  ma- 
sonic honors.  Down  to  the  year  1825  a  solitary  tree  was  all 
that  marked  his  final  resting-place. 

Congress  received,  at  the  hands  of  Gates,  the  news  of 
Kalb's  heroic  death.  The  stricken  and  humbled  general  spoke 
of  his  brave  comrade  with  creditable  candor,  and  warm  ad- 
miration. 

"  Too  much  honor  cannot  be  paid  by  Congress  to  the  memo- 
ry of  the  Baron  de  Kalb,"  he  writes  to  Washington,  in  a  letter 
of  September  3,  1780 ;  "  he  was  everything  an  excellent  officer 
should  be,  and  in  the  cause  of  the  United  States  has  sacrificed 
his  life."  "  Here  I  must  be  permitted  to  say,"  Gates  continues 
on  September  3d,  in  a  letter  to  the  President  of  Congress, 
"  how  much  I  think  is  due  to  the  Baron  de  Kalb,  and  I  am 


238  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

convinced  Congress  will  declare  to  the  world  the  high  esti 
mation  they  have  for  his  memory  and  services."  "" 

Upon  this  impartial  testimony,  and  the  concurrent  judg- 
ment of  Washington,  who  declared  that  Kalbhad  fully  justi- 
fied the  high  opinion  he  had  always  entertained  of  him,  and 
that  his  memory  must  ever  be  precious  to  a  grateful  country, 
Congress,  on  the  14th  of  October,  1780,  resolved  to  commem- 
orate the  glorious  example  given  by  General  de  Kalb  to  his 
troops,  by  erecting  at  Annapolis,  the  capital  of  the  State 
whose  division  he  had  commanded,  a  monument,  with  this 
inscription :  m 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  the  Baron  de  Kalb,  Knight  of 
the  Royal  Order  of  Military  Merit,  Brigadier  of  the  Armies 
of  France,  and  Major-General  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States  of  America.  Having  served  with  honor  and  reputation 
for  three  years,  he  gave  at  last  a  glorious  proof  of  his  attach- 
ment to  the  liberties  of  mankind  and  the  cause  of  America,  in 
the  action  near  Camden,  in  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  on 
the  16th  of  August,  1780,  where,  leading  on  the  troops  of  the 
Maryland  and  Delaware  lines  against  superiors  numbers,  and 
animating  them  by  his  example  to  deeds  of  valor,  he  was 
pierced  with  many  wounds,  and  on  the  19th  following  ex- 
pired, in  the  48th  year  of  his  age.  The  Congress  of  the 
United  States  of  America  in  gratitude  to  his  zeal,  services, 
and  merit,  have  erected  this  monument." 

The  resolution  was  not  executed.  The  cares  of  the  day 
soon  banished  the  memory  of  the  fallen  hero.  The  return  of 
peace  found  an  empty  treasury,  and  the  generation  then  en- 
tering into  power  had  other  interests.  The  matter  gradually 
came  to  be  forgotten,  and  Kaltfs  national  monument  has 
never  been  erected.  (See  APPENDIX,  p.  326) 


CHAPTER    XII. 

KALB'S  APPEARANCE  AND  CHARACTER. — HABITS  AND  EDUCATION. — MARRIAGE.— 
CHILDREN  AND  GRANDCHILDREN. — THEIR  FATES  AND  FORTUNES. — THEIR 
CLAIMS  ON  THE  UNITED  STATES,  AND  HOW  THEY  WERE  DISPOSED  OF. — KALB'S 
GRAVE  AT  CAMDEN. — WASHINGTON'S  VISIT. — WHAT  HE  SAID  ABOUT  EALB. 
— THE  CITIZENS  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA  DETKRMINE  UPON  THE  ERECTION  OF  A 
MONUMENT  OVER  THE  GRAVE. — DEDICATED  BY  LAFAT.ETTE  IN  1825. — SO- 
LEMNITIES AND  ORATIONS. — RETROSPECT  OF  KALB'S  LIFE. — THE  PRODUCT 
OF  MORBID  POLITICAL  CONDITIONS. — His  EXTRACTION. — STATE  OF  PUBLIC 
AFFAIRS  IN  BAYREUTH. — REHASH  OF  FRENCH  MISRULE. — MARGRAVE  FRED- 
ERIC.— EXTRAORDINARY  EXPENSES. — MARTIAL  TOMFOOLERY  AND  KIDNAP- 
PING.— ENGLISH  SUBSIDIES. — NARROW  SPHERE. — IMPOSSIBILITY  OF  ACTIVE 
LIFE  FOR  A  MAN  OF  KALB'S  TURN  OF  MIND. — PASSAGE  FROM  SCHILLER'S 
PLAY  OF  "  KABALE  AND  LIEBE." — THE  DIVISION  OF  GERMANY  INTO  PETTY 
PRINCIPALITIES  EXCLUDES  THE  IDEA  OF  NATIONAL  PRIDE. — DRIVES  THE 
MOST  ENEGETIC  MEN  OUT  OF  THE  COUNTRY. — JEAN  PAUL. — FRENCH  AT 
SOLUTISM. — MORE  IMPOSING  THAN  THAT  OF  THE  PUNY  PRINCIPALITIES. — AD- 
MITS OF  RIVALRY  AMONG  THE  GIFTED. — IN  FRANCE  KALB  ENJOYS  ALL  THE 
IMMUNITIES  OF  A  NATIVE. — THE  REASON  OF  THE  LIBERALITY  EXERCISED 
BY  ABSOLUTE  GOVERNMENTS  IN  THIS  RESPECT. — ABSOLUTISM  EXTINGUISHES 
ALL  DIFFERENCES  OF  NATIONALITY. — COMPARISON  OF  THE  MONEYED  ARIS. 

TOCRACY  OF  THE  PRESENT  DAY  WITH  THE  ARISTOCRACY    OF    BlRTH    OF  THE 

PAST  CENTURY. — KALB  AND  LAFAYETTE. — THE  LAST  OF  THE  SOLDIERS  OF 
FORTUNE  AND  THK  LAST  OF  THE  KNIGHTS-ERRANT. — THEIR  AIMS. — KALB 
NOT  ACTUATED  BY  MEAN  OR  VULGAR  MOTIVES. — HE  DEVOTES  HIMSELF  UN- 
RESERVEDLY-TO  THE  CAUSE  IN  WHICH  HE  HAS  ENLISTED. ONLY  TWO  IMMI- 
GRANT GENERALS  FALL  IN  THE  STRUGGLE. — KALB  AND  MONTGOMERY. — THE 
GERMAN  SAVES  THE  HONOR  OF  THE  AMERICAN  ARMS. — GERMANY  MAY 
CLAIM  HIM  AS  HER  OWN  AS  WELL  AS  FRANCE  AND  AMERICA. — THE  SON  or 
THE  PEASANT  OF  HUETTENDORF  is  NOT  THE  LAST  AMONG  ITS  HEROES. 

T7"  ALB'S    exterior   was  highly  prepossessing,  his  frame 
-^        strong  and  well-built,  and  his  air  at  once  mild  and 


240  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

dignified.  A  keen  hazel  eye,  which  beamed  forth  frankly  and 
kindly  from  under  a  high  forehead,  a  nose  slightly  aquiline, 
a  mingled  trait  of  good  nature  and  shrewdness  about  the 
mouth,  and  a  double  chin  of  respectable  proportions,  stamped 
his  mien  with  more  of  the  reflective  and  calculating  expres- 
sion of  the  diplomatist,  than  of  the  rigid,  unbending  type  of 
the  soldier.  "  In  form  and  feature," — such  is  the  testi- 
mony of  his  aide-de-camp,  Nicholas  Rogers,  of  Baltimore,1" 
— he  was  a  perfect  Ariovistus,  more  than  six  feet  tall,  and 
proof  against  the  greatest  hardships  of  his  calling.  He  often 
made  twenty  or  thirty  miles  a  day  on  foot,  and  preferred 
walking  to  riding  on  horseback  whenever  he  could."  Owing 
to  his  mode  of  life  his  health  was  truly  remarkable.  To 
great  temperance  and  caution  he  united  extraordinary  pa- 
tience. Suffering  and  privations  he  endured  without  a  mur- 
mur, and  could  bear  up  for  days  under  hunger  and  thirst, 
heat  and  cold,  without  permitting  a  sigh  to  escape  his  lips. 
He  slept  as  well  upon  his  knapsack  and  under  his  cloak,  as 
on  a  downy  pillow ;  in  short,  he  possessed  all  the  physical 
power  and  endurance  essential  to  our  conception  of  a  hero. 
He  was  always  considered  younger  than  he  really  was.  At 
his  death  Congress  rated  him  at  eight  and  forty,  when  in 
truth  he  was  in  his  sixtieth  year. 

During  the  American  war  Kalb  usually  rose  before  day- 
break, often  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  worked  until 
nine,  and  then  breakfasted  on  bread  and  water.  After  con- 
tinuing his  labors  till  noon,  he  rode  or  walked  out,  went  to 
headquarters,  inquired  the  news  of  the  day,  and  then  dined. 
His  meal  consisted  simply  of  soup,  vegetables,  and  meat ; 
he  drank  only  water.  The  afternoon  he  devoted  to  the  ser- 
vice or  to  writing  letters.  Owing  to  an  affection  of  the  eyes 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  241 

he  rarely  worked  by  candle-light,  but  retired  to  rest  at  an 
early  hour,  so  as  to  be  able  to  rise  the  earlier  in  the  morning. 
Sharing  with  his  subordinates  all  the  hardships  of  the  service, 
he  could  draw  upon  their  zeal  to  almost  any  extent.  All 
who  knew  him  esteemed  him  for  his  unpretending  affability ; 
his  soldiers  loved  and  revered  him  as  a  father. 

Kalb  was  single-hearted  and  honest.  Endowed  with 
sound  common  sense,  and  a  judgment  at  once  clear  and 
strong,  he  had  the  happy  faculty  of  habituating  himself  with- 
out constraint  to  the  most  unwonted  circumstances,  and  com- 
bined untiring  industry  with  a  rigid  sense  of  duty,  very  rare  at 
that  period,  especially  in  France.  By  no  means  a  genius,  or 
a  man  of  vast  or  comprehensive  ain-s,  he  even  shows  occa- 
sional signs  of  that  petty  punctiliousness  which  has  since 
received  the  appellation  of  old  fogyism.  Yet  he  was  am- 
bitious, enterprising,  and  energetic  ;  and  stopped  at  no 
sacrifice  to  achieve  renown,  distinction,  or  advancement. 
From  his  earliest  youth  he  had  had  nothing  save  his  mother 
wit  to  pit  against  the  lions  that  beset  his  path ;  and  hence  he 
had  involuntarily  imbibed  a  degree  of  habitual  pliancy  and 
subordination  to  the  powers  that  be.  For  this  reason  he 
was  not  one  of  those  who  who  make  their  demands  in  a 
haughty  tone,  and  assert  their  will  in  disregard  of  all  ob- 
stacles. His  was  a  more  calculating  disposition,  which 
apparently  yielded  to  surrounding  forces,  in  order,  in  point 
of  fact,  to  control  them  the  more  effectively.  This  phase  of 
his  character  is  displayed  most  clearly  in  his  intercourse  with 
the  Broglie  brothers,  who  were  his  faithful  friends  and 
patrons,  but  who  never  bestowed  their  favor  on  any  one  who 
did  not  recognize  their  will  as  law.  The  courtly  tone  then 
in  vogue  among  French  officers  is  the  key  to  this  trait  of 
11 


242  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Kalb's  character,  but  it  must  be  said  in  his  honor  that  he 
never  resorted  to  base  means  to  compass  his  ends. 

His  best  virtues,  however,  were  his  self-possession  and 
his  unvarying  caution.  As  in  his  private  affairs  he  considered 
every  plan  in  all  its  bearings,  before  carrying  it  into  execu- 
tion, as  he  meditated  for  days  and  weeks  on  the  advantages 
and  disadvantages  of  a  contemplated  investment  or  improve- 
ment of  his  estate,  so  he  was  conscientious  and  wary  in  his 
military  movements,  weighing  in  golden  scales  the  chances 
of  every  undertaking,  trusting  nothing  to  chance,  and  enter- 
ing upon  no  venture  which  did  not  promise  almost  certain 
success.  Thoroughly  cognizant  of  the  weak  points  of  the 
American  army,  he  was  always  for  defensive  measures,  and 
frequently  offended  those  who  differed  with  him  by  the 
cogency  of  his  reasoning,  which  was  almost  invariably  borne 
out  by  the  event.  In  the  Seven  Years'  War  his  illustrious 
opponent,  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  had  taught  him  to  be  on  his 
guard ;  and  he  did  not  hesitate  to  apply  the  results  of  that  ex- 
perience to  the  American  war,  where  he  found  himself  pitted 
against  two  of  the  duke's  best  scholars,  General  Knyphausen 
and  Lord  Cornwallis.  This  full  measure  of  caution  in  public 
matters  found  a  counterpart  in  his  private  affairs  in  a  degree 
of  frugality  which  sometimes  bordered  closely  on  parsimony. 

Where  Kalb  acquired  his  education,  is  a  question  not  to 
be  answered  from  the  data  at  command.  That  he  was  self- 
taught,  is  very  perceptible  in  his  writings ;  yet  his  sphere  of 
ideas  was  extensive  and  his  mind  versatile,  and  far  in  advance 
of  the  average  of  the  military  officers  of  his  day.  As  was  to 
be  expected,  he  spoke  and  wrote  French  like  a  native.  How 
far  he  was  master  of  the  German  is  not  to  be  ascertained,  be- 
cause not  a  line  written  in  that  language  was  to  be  found 


LIFE     OP    KALB.  243 

among  his  papers.  His  English  style,  though  the  use  of  the 
language  gave  him  no  difficulty,  is  not  a  little  rugged.  His 
handwriting  is  firm  and  smooth,  and  shows  that  he  has  writ- 
ten not  a  little.  Even  with  the  ancient  classics  he  was  famil- 
iar ;  and  his  thorough  knowledge  of  engineering  and  topogra- 
phy is  proved  by  the  length  of  time  he  practised  these  import- 
ant branches  of  the  military  art,  and  his  position  in  the  staff  of 
the  commander-in-chief.  To  this  was  added  immense  practi- 
cal experience ;  for  he  had  made  his  first  campaigns  under 
the  Marshals  Loewendal  and  Saxe,  the  first  masters  of  their 
time;  and  had  afterward  extended  the  knowledge  thus  ac- 
quired, under  Marshal  Broglie,  during  the  whole  of  the  Seven 
Years'  War.  It  may  fairly  be  said,  that  of  all  the  foreign 
officers  who  lent  their  swords  to  the  struggling  republic,  not 
even  Steuben  excepted,  Kalb  was  the  most  experienced,  the 
most  calculating,  and  the  most  circumspect  commander. 

Kalb's  marriage,  as  above  remarked,  was  remarkably  hap- 
py. His  affection  for  his  wife  was  at  once  earnest  and  playful, 
and  a  perfect  reflex  of  the  character  of  a  true  German,  who 
seeks  his  chief  pleasure  and  entire  satisfaction,  next  to  his 
participation  in  public  affairs,  in  his  wife  and  children.  These 
beautiful  family-ties  appear  to  increased  advantage  when  con- 
trasted with  the  debauched  an 'I  heartless  tone  of  the  court 
and  nobility,  with  the  lasciviousness  of  a  Dubarry  and  the 
crowned  and  highborn  rakes,  who  could  see  nothing  in  an  un- 
broken marriage  vow  but,  a  target  for  ribaldry.  The  most 
unlimited  confidence  continued  to  subsist  between  Kalb  and 
his  wife  up  to  the  moment  of  his  death.  She  was  his  best  of 
friends  to  whom  he  communicated  everything  that  befell  him, 
even  to  what  would  seem  to  be  the  most  trivial  occurrence. 
From  America  he  wrote  to  her  almost  daily.  His  letters, 


244  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

which  often  fill  twenty  or  thirty  pages,  and  which  treat  almost 
exclusively  of  personal  and  family  matter,  number  ninety-one 
in  a  period  of  about  forty  months ;  and  most  of  them  were 
written  in  duplicate  and  triplicate.  While  he  is  thus  confiden- 
tial and  explicit,  she  also  loves  to  tell  him  of  every  household 
event  at  Paris  and  at  Milon,  to  consult  him  as  to  alterations 
and  improvements  in  houses  and  lands,  and  to  enlarge  upon 
the  progress  made  by  the  children  in  their  studies.  Plans  for 
the  welfare  of  the  boys,  preparations  for  their  entrance  into 
the  French  array,  the  education  of  their  daughter  and  her 
physical  development — constitute  the  topics  of  extended  and 
reiterated  discussion  in  this  correspondence  between  husband 
and  wife. 

Kalb  left  three  children.'"  The  eldest  son,  Frederic,  was 
born  the  18th  of  May,  1765,  in  Paris,  educated  at  the  famous 
military  school  of  the  German  poet  PfefFel  at  Kolmar,  and  had 
hardly  passed  his  sixteenth  year  before  he  entered  the  Ger- 
man regiment  Salm-Salm,  in  the  French  service.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  revolution  he  joined  the  royalist  refugees, 
and  served  as  an  officer  in  the  corps  formed  by  the  Prince  of 
Conde  on  the  Rhine.  The  estates  of  the  family  having  been 
confiscated  in  consequence  of  his  emigration  and  taking  up 
arms  against  his  country,  he  returned  to  France,  and  claimed 
to  be  restored  to  them  on  the  ground  that  he  had  owed  no 
allegiance,  because  a  foreigner.  Of  this  ingenious  plea,  com- 
ing from  a  native  of  France  and  the  son  of  a  French  officer, 
the  Convention  manifested  their  appreciation  by  handing  him 
over  to  the  guillotine  in  1793.  He  had  inherited  the  Ameri- 
can order  of  the  Cincinnati,  established  after  the  death  of  his 
father,  and  which,  by  the  canons  of  the  order,  vested  in  the 
eldest  son  of  a  deceased  member  or  officer  who  would  have 
been  entitled  to  membership,  if  living. 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  245 

Kalb's  second  child  was  a  daughter,  Anna  Maria  Caroline, 
born  May  25,  1767,  who  was  married,  on  the  23d  of  October, 
1787,  to  John  Lucas  Geymueller,  a  Swiss  captain  in  the  ser- 
vice of  France,  outlived  her  husband  and  died  as  his  widow 
January  24,  1829.  Two  sons  were  the  issue  of  this  marriage, 
the  younger  of  whom,  Lucas,  born  in  1792  and  deceased  in 
1846,  left  several  children. 

The  second  son  of  our  hero,  Elie,  was  born  March  9, 1769, 
and  died  September  7,  1835,  at  Milon  laChapelle.  The  revo- 
lution found  him  in  the  French  regiment  Royal  Deuxponts, 
when  he  emigrated,  and  entered,  as  a  private,  the  company 
formed  by  the  refugee  princes  of  the  officers  of  the  regiments 
Deuxponts  and  la  Mark.  On  the  utter  failure  of  the  royalist 
schemes  he  spent  some  time  in  Switzerland  and  among  his 
connections  in  Franconia.  About  the  close  of  the  century  we 
find  him  in  Austria,  where,  under  the  name  of  Elias  von  Kell, 
he  served,  first  in  the  Tyrolese  rifles,  and  subsequently  re- 
ceived a  lieutenant's  commission  in  the  regiment  Erbach.  In 
1802  he  resigned,  and  returned  to  France  on  the  strength  of 
the  amnesty  then  granted.1"  During  the  empire  he  took  no 
part  whatever  in  public  affairs ;  under  the  restoration  he  ac- 
cepted one  or  two  parish  offices,  but  otherwise  lived  in  un- 
broken retirement  during  the  rest  of  his  days  on  the  estate 
of  Milon  la  Chapelle,  which  had  been  restored  to  him.  His 
marriage,  contracted  the  8th  of  February,  1808,  with  Elise 
Signard,  was  blessed  with  two  children,  one  of  whom,  a  son 
named  Theophile,  died  shortly  after  his  birth  in  1809,  while 
the  other,  a  daughter,  Leonora,  born  June  11,  1811,  on  the 
26th  of  June,  1828,  espoused  the  Marquis  Raymond  de  Yau- 
diere,  Vicomte  d'Alzac,  and  became  the  mother  of  five  chil- 
dren. This  granddaughter  of  Kalb,  who  still  survives,  owns 


240  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

and  occupies  the  family  homestead   of  Milon.     The  direct 
male  line  of  the  old  hero  is,  it  thus  appears,  extinct. 

Kalb  and  his  widow  lived  in  ease  and  affluence.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  French  revolution,  however,  the  family  lost 
almost  all  their  property;  and  although  they  subsequently  re- 
covered their  estate  of  Milon,  they  never  regained  their  former 
opulence.  In  1784  and  1785  Madame  de  Kalb  presented  to 
Congress  her  claims  for  the  arrears  due  her  husband,  but  they 
were  rejected  on  the  ground  of  some  omission  in  matters  of 
form.  In  1819  the  heirs,  having  become  impoverished,  were 
naturally  led  to  renew  the  application,  petitioning  the  Fed- 
eral Government  not  only  for  the  liquidation  of  the  back  pay 
of  their  grandfather,  but  also  for  the  seven  years'  half-pay 
voted  them  by  the  resolution  of  Congress  passed  the  24th 
of  August,  1780,  as  well  as  for  the  bounty  in  land  coming  to 
every  revolutionary  general.  The  last  request  was  at  once 
granted,  and  in  1822  the  petitioners  received  a  grant  of  par- 
cels Nos.  1,  4,  6,  7,  8,  9,  and  10  in  the  first  quarter,  and  Nos. 
25,  30,  35,  and  36  in  the  third  quarter  of  the  tenth  township 
of  the  fourth  range  in  the  then  military  district  of  Ohio,  and 
in  the  present  counties  of  Holmes  and  Tuscarora.  This 
tract,  which  at  the  present  day  would  form  a  possession  of 
immense  value,  was  sold,  a  few  years  afterward,  for  State 
taxes  which  the  heirs  had  failed  to  pay,  and  was  entirely 
lost  to  them,  as  they  neglected  to  redeem  it  from  the  pur- 
chaser."8 Their  other  claims  on  Congress,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  full  thirty-six  years  in  coming  to  a  satisfactory 
conclusion.  The  books  of  the  Secretary  of  War  showed  that 
at  his  death  Kalb  was  entitled  to  $2,433.61  of  undrawn  pay. 
In  the  same  books,  however,  he  was  charged  with  $226,000 
in  paper  money  (or  about  $2,500  in  gold),  which  he  had  re- 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  247 

ceived  in  May,  1780,  before  his  march  to  the  South,  for  the 
subsistence  and  clothing  of  the  troops  under  his  command. 
The  vouchers  for  the  proper  disbursement  of  these  funds  were 
not  forthcoming,  as  most  of  Kalb's  papers  and  all  his  bag- 
gage had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  English  when  he  was 
killed.  While  no  doubt  was  entertained  of  his  having  ex- 
pended the  money  in  the  public  service,  the  absence  of  these 
documents  obstructed  the  final  settlement  of  the  account  for 
more  than  a  generation.  Thus  it  happened  that,  fully  ac- 
knowledging the  justice  of  the  claims  of  Kalb's  heirs,  Con- 
gress nevertheless  refused  to  liquidate  them,  and  passed  votes 
to  this  effect  in  the  years  1819,  1821,  1836,  and  1837.1" 
When  it  is  considered  that  this  body  is  almost  entirely  re- 
newed every  two  years,  and  that  during  the  period  referred 
to  it  was  beset  with  hundreds  of  revolutionary  claims  of  thia 
character,  this  reluctance  and  circumspection  is  not  without 
plausibility ;  still,  the  case  of  Kalb  was  a  highly  exceptional 
one,  and  might  well  have  been  disposed  of  by  a  special 
enactment.  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  was  on  the  8th  of  March, 
1842,  that  the  House  Committee  on  Revolutionary  Claims 
made  their  report  in  favor  of  the  heirs  of  Kalb,  and  fixed 
the  sum  to  which  they  were  entitled  at  $90,531.61,  which 
they  recommended  to  be  paid  with  interest  from  1819,  the 
year  in  which  the  claim  had  been  first  presented.  Even  then 
the  non-concurrence  of  the  Senate  and  the  early  close  of  the 
session  prevented  an  adjustment,  and  twelve  further  years 
elapsed  before  the  6th  of  February,  1854,  when  Mr.  Cor  win 
again  took  up  the  report  above  mentioned,  and  adopted  its 
suggestions.  The  House  was  unanimous  in  its  favor.  The 
bill  reached  the  Senate  on  the  18th  of  December,  1854. 
Here  a  mistake  of  $24,513.85  was  detected  in  favor  of  tho 


248  LIFE     OF     KAMI. 

claimants;  but,  after  deducting  that  amount,  it  was  unani 
mously  adopted,  and  the  sum  of  $66,099.76,  without  interest, 
was  ordered  to  be  paid  in  full  of  all  demands.128  The  House 
concurred  in  the  amendment,  and  the  bill  soon  after  received 
the  signature  of  the  President.  It  is  but  fair  to  record  that 
the  Senators  and  Representatives  from  Delaware  and  Mary- 
land, the  two  States  whose  troops  had  been  under  Kalb's 
command,  and  those  of  South  Carolina,  on  the  soil  of  which 
he  had  fallen,  were  especially  solicitous  about  the  final  set- 
tlement of  the  claims  of  his  heirs,  and  that  the  favorable  re- 
sult attained  is  mainly  due  to  their  unceasing  efforts. 

While  the  Congressional  resolution  of  the  14th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1780,  is  still  awaiting  its  realization,  and  while  no  steps 
were  ever  taken  for  the  erection  of  the  monument  at  Anna, 
polis,  the  State  of  South  Carolina  did  not  permit  the  year  1825 
to  pass  away  without  giving  a  fitting  expression  to  its  senti- 
ments of  gratitude  for  the  departed  hero. 

As  stated  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  a  tree  was  for  years 
the  only  monument  of  the  resting-place  of  Kalb's  last  re- 
mains. This  spot  was  the  most  important  memento  of  the 
Revolution  of  which  Camden  could  boast,  and  travellers 
rarely  failed  to  visit  the  grave.  It  is  to  be  found  in  the 
grass  plot  opposite  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  De  Kalb 
Street.  "  So  here  lies  the  brave  de  Kalb,"  said  Washington, 
when  standing  on  this  spot  in  the  spring  of  1791,  "the  gen- 
erous stranger  who  came  from  a  distant  land  to  fight  our 
battles,  and  to  water  with  his  blood  the  tree  of  our  liberty. 
Would  to  God  he  had  lived  to  share  with  us  its  fruits ! " 
And  immediately  before  the  same  occasion,11"  when  invited 
by  the  citizens  of  Carnden  to  visit  their  town,  he  addressed 
them  in  the  following  words,  which  briefly  and  vigorously 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  249 

express  Washington's  opinion  of  our  hero  :  "  Your  grateful 
remembrance  of  that  excellent  friend  and  gallant  officer,  the 
Baron  de  Kalb,  does  honor  to  the  goodness  of  your  hearts. 
With  your  regrets  I  mingle  mine  for  his  loss,  and  to  your 
praise  I  join  the  tribute  of  my  esteem  for  his  memory." 

At  the  opening  of  the  third  decade  of  the  present  century, 
the  inhabitants  of  Camden,  and  especially  the  Free  Masons, 
of  which  fraternity  Kalb  had  been  a  member,  conceived  the 
design  of  erecting  a  monument  over  his  grave.  The  call 
issued  by  them  met,  throughout  the  State,  with  the  most  en- 
thusiastic reception  and  encouragement ;  almost  every  citizen 
of  South  Carolina  furnished  his  contribution.  In  1825,  al- 
though the  requisite  funds  were  not  all  collected,  such  pro- 
gress had  been  made  that  General  Lafayette,  th  jn  on  his  visit 
to  the  United  States,  could  be  requested  to  lay  the  corner- 
stone. 

The  invitation  was  accepted  with  great  alacrity.  On  the 
8th  of  March,  1825,  he  arrived  at  Camden,  and  was  received 
with  public  solemnities.  The  addresses  made  by  and  to  him 
are  extant ;  we  extract  the  passages  having  special  reference 
to  Kalb,  and  to  the  inauguration  of  the  monument.180 

"  Your  visit  to  Camden,"  General  Nixon  said,  addressing 
himself  to  Lafayette, "  excites  sublime  emotions  ;  we  live  over, 
in  fancy,  the  scenes  of  its  early  history ;  though  no  splendid 
edifices,  no  *  gorgeous  temples,'  no  '  cloud-capped  '  turrets  meet 
your  eye,  still  there  are  associations  connected  with  it  more 
imposing  than  them  all.  It  is  seated  on  classic  ground.  Its 
haunts  are  consecrated  by  the  shades  of  heroes ;  its  plains 
honored  by  their  dust.  Monuments  of  the  Revolution  on  all 
sides  remind  us  of  the  deeds  of  our  fathers.  In  its  bosom 
reposes  General  de  Kalb,  your  friend  and  companion  in  arms. 
11* 


250  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

Inspired  with  a  holy  enthusiasm  in  the  cause  of  freedom  and 
mankind,  he  buffeted  with  you  the  storms  of  a  perilous  ocean. 
With  you,  he  first  touched  American  soil  in  Carolina,  and 
doubly  sanctified  it  by  his  first  visit  and  his  last  sigh  •  and 
you  are  now,  in  your  old  age,  to  deposit  a  stone  over  his  ashes, 
which  will  speak  to  coming  years.  I  know,  sir,  it  will  afford 
you  a  melancholy  pleasure  to  pause  and  drop  a  tear  at  the 
hero's  grave ;  his  spirit  and  your  Washington's  will  commune 
with  you  there." 

Lafayette  replied  :  "  The  congratulations  of  my  friends 
on  this  happy  visit  to  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  cannot  at 
any  time  or  place  be  more  affecting  and  honorable  to  me,  than 
when  offered  by  you,  sir,  in  the  name  of  the  citizens  of  Cam- 
den  and  its  vicinity,  on  this  classic  ground  where,  in  several 
battles,  my  revolutionary  brethren  have  fought  and  bled  ;  and 
where,  even  on  unlucky  days,  actions  have  been  performed 
which  reflect  the  highest  honor  on  the  name  of  which  we  are 
so  justly  proud,  the  name  of  an  American  soldier.  Such  have 
been,  sir,  the  able  conduct  as  a  commander,  the  noble  fall  as 
a  patriot,  of  General  de  Kalb.  Among  my  obligations  to  you, 
I  gratefully  acknowledge  your  kindness  in  associating  me  to 
the  tribute  paid  to  the  memory  of  a  friend,  who,  as  you  ob- 
serve, has  been  the  early  confidant  and  companion  of  my  de- 
votion to  the  American  cause." 

The  monument  was  inaugurated  at  noon  of  the  succeeding 
day,  the  9th  of  March,  1825.  The  procession  was  headed  by 
volunteer  soldiery,  followed  by  the  Kershaw  Lodge  of  Free 
Masons  of  the  town  and  vicinity.  Then  came  the  hearse 
with  the  ashes  of  Kalb.  Six  revolutionary  officers  bore  the 
pall ;  a  war  horse  was  led  after  them.  General  Lafayette  and 
suite,  revolutionary  soldiers,  the  civil  authorities  and  some  of 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  251 

the  leading  corporations  of  Camden,  brought  up  the  rear.  At 
the  grave  the  remains  of  Kalb  were  inearthed  with  Masonic 
ceremonies,  after  which  A.  Blanding,  Esq.,  the  Superintendent 
of  Public  Buildings,  addressed  General  Lafayette  in  some 
brief  remarks. 

"Your  fellow-citizens,"  he  says,  "  who  have  contributed  to 
the  erection  of  this  monument,  request  that  you  will  place 
this  stone  over  the  remains  of  Major-general  Baron  de  Kalb. 
To  no  hand  can  this  office  be  so  properly  assigned  as  to  yours. 
You  reached  our  shores  together,  brethren  in  arms  and 
friendship,  actuated  by  the  same  honorable  and  disinterested 
motives,  and,  as  fellow-soldiers,  supporting  in  the  field  the 
cause  of  freedom,  when  our  country,  struggling  for  independ- 
ence, most  needed  your  aid.  You,  General,  have  survived 
to  witness  the  result  of  these  labors  in  the  happiness  and 
prosperity  of  a  widely-extended  republic,  whose  liberal 
institutions  are  supported  by  a  people  wise  and  virtuous 
enough  for  self-government,  and  who  have  thus  confirmed 
the  fond  hopes  of  your  hearts,  that  the  blood  of  the  rebellion 
should  not  be  shed  in  vain.  The  General  whose  remains  lie 
before  us,  was  deprived  of  this  enviable  lot.  He  viewed  in 
prospect  only,  the  consequences  of  the  conflict  in  which  he 
so  generously  engaged,  and  nobly  fell  combating  the  op- 
pressors of  our  country.  His  life  was  the  glorious  sacrifice 
he  offered  to  secure  our  republican  institutions  ;  and  this  the 
manner  in  which  we  manifest  our  gratitude.  May  that  union 
which  has  arisen  out  of  the  Revolution  which  you  and  he  and 
your  companions  in  arms  achieved,  be  perpetual  as  the  gran- 
ite which  here  commemorates  his  heroic  virtues." 

To  which  the  General  replied : 

"  The  honor  now  bestowed  upon  me  I  receive  with  the 


252  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

mingled  emotions  of  patriotism,  gratitude,  and  friendship, 
and  like  other  honorable  duties  which  await  me  in  the  more 
northern  part  of  the  Union,  I  consider  it  as  being  conferred 
on  the  revolutionary  army  in  the  person  of  a  surviving  gen- 
eral officer. 

"  In  that  army,  sir,  which  offered  a  perfect  assemblage  of 
every  civil  and  military  virtue,  Major  general  Baron  de  Kalb 
has  acted  a  conspicuous  part.  His  able  conduct,  undaunted 
valor,  and  glorious  fall  in  the  first  battle  of  Camden,  form  one 
of  the  remarkable  traits  of  our  struggle  for  independence  and 
freedom.  He  was  cordially  devoted  to  our  American  cause, 
and  while  his  public  and  private  qualities  have  endeared  him 
to  his  contemporaries,  here  I  remain  to  pay  to  his  merits  on 
this  tomb,  the  tribute  of  an  admiring  witness,  of  an  intimate 
companion,  of  a  mourning  friend." 

After  this,  Lafayette  proceeded  to  lay  the  corner-stone 
of  the  monument,  which  was  not  completed  for  some  time 
afterward.  The  base  is  formed  of  twenty-six  massive  blocks 
of  granite.  Twenty-four  of  them  bear,  respectively,  the 
names  of  the  twenty-four  States  then  composing  the  Union  ; 
the  twenty-fifth  has  the  inscription,  "  Fcedus  esto  perpetu- 
um  /"  and  the  twenty-sixth  covers  the  ashes  of  the  de- 
ceased. The  monument  itself  consists  of  an  obelisk  of 
white  marble  fifteen  feet  high.  On  the  side  which  fronts 
south,  on  De  Kalb  street,  are  the  words,  "  Here  rest  the 
remains  of  Baron  de  Kalb,  a  German  by  birth,  a  cosmopoli- 
tan in  his  principles."  On  the  north  side,  the  inscription  is  : 
"  In  gratitude  for  his  zeal  and  services,  the  citizens  of  Cam- 
den  have  erected  this  monument."  E<:ist  side :  "  His  love 
of  Liberty  induced  him  to  leave  the  Old  World  to  aid  the 
citizens  of  the  New  in  their  struggle  for  Independence. 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  253 

His  distinguished  talent  and  many  virtues  weighed  with 
Congress  to  appoint  him  Major-  General  in  their  revolution- 
ary army."  West  side :  "  He  was  second  in  command  in 
the  battle  fought  near  Camden  on  the  16th  of  August,  1780, 
between  the  British  and  Americans,  and  there  nobly  fell, 
covered  with  wounds,  while  gallantly  performing  deeds  of 
valor  in  rallying  the  friends  and  opposing  the  enemies  of  his 
adopted  country."  m 

How  far  the  facts  bear  out  the  poetical  license  of  this 
epitaph,  the  reader  will  have  decided  for  himself  from  the 
perusal  of  the  foregoing  pages.  The  question  presents  itself, 
however,  whether  the  motives  of  Kalb's  action,  as  we  under- 
stand them,  impair  his  title  to  the  gratitude  of  the  Amer- 
ican people,  and  to  an  honored  niche  in  the  fane  of  history  ? 
The  answer  will  best  be  made  from  another  brief  retrospect 
of  his  life,  which,  the  more  it  is  examined  in  the  light  of  his 
time  and  of  the  ideas  by  which  that  time  was  guided,  becomes 
more  and  more  divested  of  its  adventurous  aspect,  and  stands 
disclosed  as  the  product  of  morbid  political  conditions. 

Kalb  was  a  native  of  a  little  German  territory  of  the 
fifth  magnitude.  At  the  time  of  his  birth  the  principality 
of  Brandenburg-Bayreuth,  containing  about  1,456  square 
miles,  and  one  hundred  thousand  inhabitants,  did  homage  to 
the  margrave  George  William.132  It  yielded  him  a  revenue 
of  some  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  being  about  the 
annual  income  of  a  wealthy  New  York  or  London  merchant 
The  rights  of  his  subjects  consisted,  substantially,  in  the 
good  pleasure  of  their  lord  and  master,  who,  of  course, 
looked  to  Versailles  for  his  models,  and  revered  the  roues 
of  the  regency  as  his  preceptors  in  the  arts  of  living  and  of 
government.  If  anything  distinguished  the  German  prince 


254  LIFE    OP    KALB. 

from  the  Parisian  noble,  it  was  an  occasional  freak  of  glut- 
tony relieving  the  routine  of  super-refined  luxuries.  The 
species  "  homo "  was  never  recognized  as  existing  in  any 
variety  lower  than  that  of  the  noble.  The  last  but  one  of 
the  margraves  of  Anspach-Bayreuth  amused  his  mistress 
one  day  by  shooting  a  chimney-sweep  from  his  roof.  She 
had  expressed  a  curiosity  to  see  a  man  come  down  head 
foremost.  The  widow  of  the  murdered  man  appealed  to  his 
charity,  and,  in  a  moment  of  patriarchal  benevolence,  he 
indemnified  her  with  the  gift  of  two  dollars.1"  When  the 
native  gentry  would  not  suffice,  French  adventurers  and 
vagabonds  were  imported  to  bring  the  splendor  of  the  court 
upon  an  equality  with  those  of  neighboring  potentates. 
George  William's  successor,  the  margrave  Frederic  (1735  to 
1763),  known  as  the  husband  of  the  great  Frederic's  sister, 
whose  accession  coincides  with  Kalb's  departure  from  his 
dominions,  is  a  choice  specimen  of  the  race  of  petty  mag- 
nates then  maltreating  the  German  people.184  That  the  ex- 
penses of  his  household  exceeded  those  of  his  brother-in-law, 
is  of  comparatively  little  moment,  as  the  personal  wants  of 
the  great  king  were  never  equal  to  the  salary  of  the  mar- 
grave's chief  cook  or  principal  dancer ;  but  that  the  latter 
could  equal,  if  not  excel,  all  the  apes  of  the  Sybaritism  of 
Louis  XV.,  is  of  no  little  consequence  in  view  of  the  num- 
ber of  his  competitoi-s  in  Bavaria,  the  Palatinate,  and  Wur- 
temberg,  and  of  the  narrow  limits  of  his  domain.  If,  then, 
this  contempt  of  all  that  was  of  native  growth,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  native  people,  could  thus  display  itself  at  a  time 
when  the  victories  of  Frederic  the  Great  had  revived  the 
self-respect  of  Germany,  how  degrading  and  demoralizing 
must  have  been  the  yoke  011  the  necks  of  earlier  generations ! 


LIFE    OF    KALB.  255 

And  what  more  natural  than  that  "  the  classes  designed  by 
Providence  for  servitude  "  should  take  flight  from  the  body 
of  this  political  and  moral  death ! 

That  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  failed  to  defray  the 
expenses  incident  to  such  a  system  of  government,  requires 
no  demonstration.  Extraordinary  revenues  had  to  be  pro- 
vided. A  favorite  resource  of  this  description  was  the  prac- 
tice of  hiring  out  the  soldiers  of  the  State — of  which,  in 
1730,  Bayreuth  had  two  regiments  of  infantry,  a  body  of 
hussars,  and  a  mounted  body-guard — to  the  maritime  pow- 
ers, Holland  and  England,  upon  a  valuable  consideration, 
which  the  phraseology  of  the  times  adorned  with  the  title 
of  a  subsidy.  The  margraves  of  Bayreuth  and  Anspach  en- 
gaged extensively  in  this  lucrative  business,  which  yielded 
them  enormous  sums  for  the  support  of  their  mistresses  and 
dancers.  Thus,  during  the  American  Revolution,  England 
paid  for  the  use  of  1,644  men  of  Anspach  and  Bayreuth — 
including  a  young  lieutenant  named  Gneisenau,  afterward  so 
famous  as  a  Prussian  field-marshal — the  sum  of  £305,400,  or 
about  $1,527,000.135 

Had  Kalb  remained  at  home,  his  birth  and  lineage  would 
have  hopelessly  excluded  him  from  any  career  of  military 
ambition  higher  than  that  of  a  corporal  in  one  of  the  two 
regiments  of  his  liege  lord.  Perhaps  the  latter  would  have 
sent  him  into  foreign  parts,  like  so  many  of  his  neighbors 
before  and  after  him.  Among  the  Anspach  prisoners  taken 
at  Yorktown  are  two  privates  of  the  name  of  Kalb.  Possi- 
bly they  were  nephews  of  the  general !  Or,  more  probably, 
our  hero  would  have  imitated  the  forward  boys  of  whom  the 
chamberlain  tells  Lady  Milford,  in  Schiller's  "  Love  and 
Intrigue,"  186  that  they  stepped  forward  aud  asked  the  colonel 


256  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

what  the  prince  asked  for  a  yoke  of  men.  "  But,"  the  nar- 
rator continues,  "  our  most  gracious  prince  caused  all  the 
regiments  to  be  paraded,  and  the  blusterers  to  be  shot.  We 
heard  the  crack  of  the  rifles,  and  saw  their  brains  spattering 
on  the  pavement,  and  the  whole  army  shouted,  '  Hurrah  for 
America ! ' '  There  is  no  poetical  license  here.  In  these 
matters  his  most  serene  highness  was  not  at  all  to  be  trifled 
with ;  every  soldier  who  showed  the  slightest  disposition  to 
resist  was  handcuffed  and  shot  down  on  the  spot.  At  all 
events,  Kalb's  sound  sense  and  independent  way  of  thinking 
would  have  kept  him  off  the  list  of  those  well-affected 
soldiers  of  Bayreuth,  who,  after  having  mutinied  on  the 
march  to  America,  and  fired  upon  their  officers,  burst  into 
tears  at  the  sight  of  the  potentate's  august  person,  and 
marched  quietly  away.1" 

A  State  in  duodecimo,  like  the  Bayreuth  of  that  period, 
where  the  individual  has  no  attraction  but  that  of  brute  force 
to  fasten  him  to  the  body  politic,  where  the  inhabitants  have 
not  a  single  higher  interest  in  common,  and  where  the  pay- 
ment of  taxes  and  blind  obedience  are  the  sum  of  human 
life — a  parish  pound  like  this  is  not  a  country,  and  can  never 
arouse  the  sentiment  of  patriotism  or  national  honor.  In 
such  a  spot,  woe  to  the  unfortunate  who  even  dares  to  think ! 
His  convictions  will  either  involve  him  in  hopeless  collisions 
with  the  existing  powers,  or  banish  him  from  the  threshold 
of  his  youth,  to  find  elsewhere  a  scope  for  his  energies.  It 
is  the  same  love  of  action,  so  shamefully  fettered  at  home, 
which  to  this  day  drives  so  many  of  the  flower  of  the  Ger- 
man youth  from  the  home  of  their  fathers  into  foreign  lands. 
The  captivity  of  the  German  mind  in  the  manacles  of  these 
petty  despots  is  best  depicted  in  the  sublimated  schoolmas- 


\ 

LIFE    OF    KALB.  257 

ters  and  sickly  Titans  of  a  fellow-countryman  of  Kalb's — 
Jean  Paul,  "  the  Jeremiah  of  his  people."  Kalb's  rupture 
with  Bayreuth,  America  has,  at  all  events,  no  reason  to  de- 
plore. 

The  French  absolutism  of  the  day  was  precisely  identical 
in  substance  with  that  of  Germany,  its  undoubted  offspring ; 
but  its  exterior  was  more  grand  and  imposing.  Even  at  this 
time  the  same  relation  subsists  between  France  and  Ger- 
many as  has  obtained  for  two  hundred  years.  The  German 
of  the  present  day  enjoys  a  larger  measure  of  personal  and 
political  liberty  than  the  Frenchman  under  Louis  Napoleon ; 
but  while  the  national  force  of  Germany  is  broken,  and  its 
living  energies  frittered  away  in  consequence  of  the  division 
into  petty  principalities,  the  French  subject  takes  comfort  at 
the  thought  that  he  is  feared  abroad,  and  that  his  country  is 
the  political  arbiter  of  Europe.  A  State  of  thirty-six  mil- 
lions of  inhabitants  of  a  single  nationality  finds  work  to  do 
for  every  able  man,  be  he  of  native  or  of  foreign  birth,  be 
he  trained  in  the  arts  of  peace  or  in  those  of  war.  It  rouses 
the  ambition  and  energy  of  the  individual,  and  provokes  that 
keen  encounter  of  the  wits  which  precedes  every  great 
exploit  and  brilliant  success.  A  pigmy  kingdom,  on  the 
other  hand,  must  not,  for  its  own  safety,  suffer  any  greatness 
to  flourish ;  it  is  itself  a  caricature,  an  object  of  contempt 
and  derision  to  all  who  are  not  themselves  its  victims. 

No  sooner  had  Kalb  made  his  way  into  the  French  ser- 
vice, than  his  chances  of  success  and  advancement  were  the 
same  with  those  enjoyed  by  the  natives  of  the  country. 
The  Bourbons  even  favored  the  foreign  regiments,  which,  as 
we  have  seen  in  the  second  chapter,  they  drew  from  every 
nation,  regarding  them  as  affording,  in  case  of  need,  a  pro- 


258  LIFE    OP     KALB, 

tection  against  their  own  people — a  forethought  partly  justi- 
fied at  the  breaking  out  of  the  French  revolution.  The 
absolutism  of  the  eighteenth  century  made  use  of  every 
instrument  that  came  to  its  hand,  never  stopping  to  inquire 
into  origin  or  character.  Implicit  obedience  was  the  one 
thing  needful ;  by  whom  that  obedience  was  rendered  was 
of  no  sort  of  consequence.  The  despotism  of  that  century 
was,  in  this  respect,  less  prejudiced  and  more  liberal  than 
most  of  the  democratic  republics  of  our  day,  because  it 
never  considered  any  interests  except  its  own ;  while  every 
citizen  of  a  republic  is  prone  to  imagine  that  it  is  in  part  the 
function  of  his  Government  to  furnish  him  or  his  connections 
with  office,  and  therefore  to  draw  distinctions  calculated  to 
reduce  the  number  of  competitors. 

The  idea  of  nationality  had  scarcely  been  conceived  at 
that  time ;  the  omnipotence  of  Government  obliterated  all 
varieties  of  language  and  extraction.  The  feudal  traditions 
were  melted  in  the  whiter  heat  of  centralized  power.  Hence 
arose  the  tendency  of  the  foreign  nobility  to  migrate  to 
France,  and  the  corresponding  disposition  of  the  French 
gentry  to  seek  their  fortunes  abroad. 

Kalb  accordingly  did  no  more  than  to  conform  to  the 
prevailing  practice  in  going  where  the  regular  migratory 
current  of  his  countrymen  led  the  way ;  indeed,  he  had  a 
stronger  inducement  than  most  of  them,  as  his  birth  cut  off 
all  hope  of  a  successful  career  at  home.  To  understand  this 
state  of  things  most  thoroughly,  the  titled  orders  of  the  last 
century  should  be  compared  with  the  heavy  speculators  of 
the  present.  The  great  merchant,  also,  has  no  country.  He 
is  as  ready  to  remove  from  Hamburg  to  San  Francisco,  or 
from  "New  York  to  Shanghai  and  Calcutta,  as  a  nobleman 


LIFE     OF    KALB.  259 

of  that  period  was  to  quit  the  service  of  France  or  Sweden 
for  that  of  the  emperor  or  the  sultan.  Honor  and  renown 
are  the  pursuit  of  the  one  ;  wealth  and  fortune,  which  confer 
power  and  influence,  are  the  quest  of  the  other.  Titles  and 
capital  are  at  home  wherever  any  conquest  is  to  be  made  of 
lands  or  honors,  money  or  power;  they  renounce  their 
nationality  without  a  pang,  and  sometimes  even  change  their 
religion  for  the  sake  of  preferment.  Who,  for  instance, 
could  name  the  country  of  the  Rothschilds?  They  are 
entirely  denationalized.  Many  of  these  titled  and  untitled 
Ai'gonauts  return  from  their  expeditions,  while  others  take 
root  in  the  soil  of  their  adoption,  and  still  others  flit  for  a 
time  from  port  to  port  before  reaching  their  permanent  des- 
tination. As  every  modern  seaport  has  its  pioneers  of  com- 
merce, who  fail  in  engrafting  themselves  on  the  stock  of  the 
mercantile  hierarchy,  and  who  "never  make  anything," 
because  lacking  either  in  pliancy  cr  discretion,  but  who,  at 
the  same  time,  are  not  to  be  extinguished  by  any  amount 
of  ill  luck,  and  as  these  crusaders  of  profit,  who  are  only  at 
ease  in  the  fiercest  struggles  of  the  market,  often  accident- 
ally become  the  lights  of  a  new  phase  of  the  history  of 
trade,  or,  at  least,  thrust  the  age  a  step  in  advance  of  where 
they  found  it,  so  the  last  century  had  its  military  adven- 
turers, refugees  to-day  and  prime-ministers  to-morrow,  who 
conquered  a  throne  at  the  sword's  point  only  to  exchange  it 
for  a  debtor's  prison ;  modern  knights-errant,  who  subju- 
gated whole  kingdoms,  and,  though  they  perished  miserably, 
yet  lived  to  inaugurate  historical  developments.  Characters 
of  this  last  description  form  the  exception,  not  the  rule ;  but 
they  spring  from  the  <  ommon  origin  of  old  tradition  and 
immemorial  custom,  and  bear  the  most  marked  impress  of 


260  LIFE    OF    KALB. 

their  time.  These  paladins  of  the  sword  are  the  last  de 
scendants  of  the  knights-errant  and  condottieri  of  the 
Middle  Ages.  This  is  the  spirit  that  drives  them  over  the 
world,  not,  as  modern  enthusiasts  are  apt  to  imagine,  on 
a  philosophical  search  for  the  best  of  governments,  or  with 
the  design  to  devote  their  swords  to  the  greatest  good  of 
the  greatest  number,  but  generally  without  any  settled  pur- 
pose, bent  upon  an  active  life  and  the  acquisition  of  fame 
and  fortune. 

It  is  the  characteristic  of  great  historical  epochs,  that  no 
one  can  refuse  to  be  concerned  in  them,  that  the  individual  ia 
drawn,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  into  the  circle  of  their  in- 
fluence, and  forced,  often  contrary  to  his  character  and  dis- 
position, to  wear  their  livery.  Kalb  was  such  an  offspring  of 
his  age,  and  his  companion  Lafayette  was  no  less  so.  The 
same  ship,  named  as  if  in  commemoration  of  their  common 
purpose,  "  la  Victoire, "  which  brought  them  to  the  new 
world,  brought  the  last  of  the  condottieri,  and  the  last  of  the 
knights-errant;  and  without  them,  be  it  well  observed,  the 
triumph  of  the  new  system  would  have  been  impossible. 
Both  mean  to  fight  for  the  republic,  and  both,  though  actu- 
ated by  different  motives,  stake  their  lives  on  the  issue.  The 
younger  voyager,  the  knight-errant,  yearns  for  the  fairest  o. 
the  fair,  the  Dulcinea  which  the  sentimentalists  of  Europe 
then  sought  in  the  backwoods  of  America,  under  the  names 
of  Nature,  Liberty,  and  the  Rights  of  Man.  The  elder  has 
more  of  reality  in  his  projects,  and  is  satisfied  with  the  con- 
sciousness of  action  and  enterprise,  without  much  caring  for 
its  ultimate  purpose.  Neither  of  them  attained  the  goal  of 
his  desires.  The  one  was  fortunate  in  gaining  the  friendship 
of  the  greatest  and  best  of  Americans,  who,  himself  a  model 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  261 

of  all  the  finest  graces  of  the  Teutonic  character,  corrected 
the  young  Frenchman's  volatile  ambition,  and  enabled  him  to 
become  "  the  hero  of  two  continents."  The  other  fell  nobly 
fighting  on  the  field  of  the  soldier's  honor,  happy  in  the 
accident  which  identified  this  honor  with  the  interests  of 
freedom.  The  struggling  colonies  were  always  of  secondary 
importance  to  his  ambition ;  they  furnished  Kalb  with  the 
opportunity  to  display  his  devotion  to  the  French  king,  from 
whom  he  expected  more  substantial  reward  and  recognition 
of  his  efforts  in  their  behall  In  his  eyes  they  were  but  the 
steps  of  the  ladder  of  fame  and  distinction  on  which  he  de- 
sired to  mount  for  the  purpose  of  achieving  in  France  still 
higher  honors  and  benefit. 

Kalb  was  a  soldier,  and  in  every  respect  a  man  of  honor 
in  the  military  sense  and  spirit  of  his  time.  If  his  motives 
have  been  variously  misconstrued  and  distorted,  the  fault  lies 
not  with  him,  but  with  the  unsound  idealism  of  his  contem- 
poraries. He  had  no  predilection  for  the  service  of  the  foreign 
flag ;  but  he  performed  his  whole  and  full  duty  as  a  man  of 
honor  and  conscience.  That  the  hope  of  pecuniary  gain  did 
not  draw  him  across  the  ocean,  is  but  too  evident,  when  it  is 
borne  in  mind  that  at  that  time  the  United  States  were  strug- 
gling to  avoid  extinction,  that  the  half  of  a  general's  pay  was 
required  to  liquidate  a  barber's  fee,  while  the  price  of  a  sad- 
dle horse  absorbed  the  emoluments  of  five  or  ten  years.  Add 
to  this  the  almost  intolerable  privations,  the  absence  of  all 
opportunity  for  distinction,  and  the  jealous  if  not  hostile  de- 
portment of  the  native  officers,  and  it  must  be  conceded  that 
a  situation  like  this  is  to  be  endured  only  by  men  actuated  by 
higher  motives,  whether  of  patriotism  and  ambition,  or  of 
manly  pride  and  a  sense  of  duty. 


262  LIFE     OF    KALB. 

Kalb  belongs  to  the  last-named  class ;  he  was  a  military 
realist,  and,  as  such,  perfect.  His  faithfulness  in  the  service, 
and  his  unbounded  devotion  to  the  cause,  not  only  compares 
most  favorably  with  the  energy  of  the  native  revolutionary 
generals,  but  even  excels  them  in  iron  fortitude.  The  War 
of  Independence  produced  many  able  and  patriotic  leaders, 
men  whose  names  will  shine  in  imperishable  glory  to  the  end  of 
all  history  ;  but  among  the  officers  of  the  highest  grade  two 
only  sealed  their  oaths  of  fealty  with  their  blood.  These  two 
generals  were  foreigners.  One  of  them,  Richard  Montgomery, 
the  Irishman,  stanched  his  youthful  heroism  on  the  snow-clad 
heights  of  Quebec,  while  the  other,  a  veteran  of  sixty  years, 
John  Kalb,  the  German,  breathed  his  last  under  the  well-nigh 
tropical  sun  of  South  Carolina.  He  died  for  the  honor  of  the 
American  arms,  fanning  with  his  latest  breath  the  valor  of 
his  men.  If  he  could  not  restore  the  day,  he  rescued  the  fair 
fame  of  the  republican  troops,  shamefully  abandoned  by  the 
commanding  general. 

At  this  proud  moment  we  take  leave  of  our  hero.  In  the 
national  museum  of  France  at  Versailles  his  bust  is  preserved 
among  those  of  the  illustrious  men  of  the  country.  Yet  his 
virtues  were  of  the  Teutonic  stamp ;  the  unbending  energy, 
the  faithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  duty,  and  the  dauntless 
courage  which  are  manifested  in  all  the  vicissitudes  of  his 
career,  were  not  the  fruits  of  his  foreign  travel,  but  the  in- 
gredients of  his  Franconican  mother's  milk.  Germany  has 
never  advanced  her  claims  on  his  renown,  yet  he  has  honored 
her  name  under  the  most  difficult  circumstances.  South  Car- 
olina has  raised  a  monument  to  perpetuate  his  memory,  but 
the  great  republic  for  whose  independence  he  sacrificed  hia 
life,  has  almost  forgotten  his  name  and  services. 


LIFE    OP    KALB.  263 

It  was  therefore  a  welcome  and  sacred  duty  he  owed  to 
his  countrymen  which  induced  the  author  to  represent  Kalb 
in  the  light  of  his  time,  and  to  revive  his  memory  in  the 
heart  of  the  present  generation. 


NOTES. 


1.  THIS  version  of  Kalb's  extraction  is  so  diametrically  opposed  to 
all  the  opinions  hitherto  received,  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  state  at 
large  how  the  knowledge  of  the  facts  here  stated  was  obtained.  The 
MSS.  received  from  Milon  la  Chapelle  include  two  writings  which 
mention  Huettendorf  as  the  birthplace  of  General  Kalb.  One  of  them 
is  a  certificate  given  the  22d  of  June,  1798,  by  the  Prussian  ambassador 
at  Paris,  M.  Alphonse  de  Sandoz-Rollin,  in  which  Elie  Kalb,  as  a  son 
of  Major-general  Kalb,  who  was  born  in  Huettendorf,  in  the  margrn- 
viate  uf  Bayreuth,  is  claimed  as  a  Prussian  subject  (Bayreuth  hav- 
ing been  incorporated  witli  that  monarchy  in  December,  1791).  The 
other  is  a  copy  of  the  marriage  certificate  of  April  10,  1764,  setting 
forth  that  "  Jean  de  Kalb,  chevalier,  fils  dufeu  Jean  Leonard  de  Kalb, 
SEIGNEUR  DE  HuETTENDOKF,  et  de  dame  Marguerite  Seitz,  ne  a  Huet- 
tendorf dam  le  margraviat  de  Bayreuth,"  is  married  to  Anna  Eliza- 
beth Emilie  van  Robais  at  the  Dutch  embassy  in  Paris.  These  docu- 
ments making  it  certain  that  Huettendorf  was  the  birthplace  of  the 
general,  it  only  remained  to  ascertain  the  year  of  his  birth,  which 
was  sometimes  given  as  1717,  and  a<:ain  as  1732.  I  therefore  com- 
municated these  facts  t;>  a  friend  of  mine  then  living  at  Erlangeu, 
near  Huettendorf,  Professor  L.  K.  Aegidi,  and  requested  him  to  have 
the  date  of  Kalb's  birth  extracted  from  the  church  register.  Mr. 
Aegidi  soon  discovered  that  Huettendorf  neither  had,  nor  ever  had 
had,  either  a  manor  house  or  a  church,  and  therefore  referred  to  Pas- 
tor Recknagel,  of  Kirchenuurach,  which  includes  Huettendorf  in  its 
parochial  limits,  and,  without  making  any  mention  of  the  Christian 
names  of  the  parents,  simply  requested  a  statement  of  the  birthday 
of  John  de  Kalb,  born  at  Huettendorf  at  some  time  between  the 
years  1717  and  1732.  Mr.  Recknagel  had  the  goodness  to  stite,  in 
answer  to  this  inquiry,  that  there  never  hnd  been  a  baronial  family 
of  de  Kalb  in  Huettendorf,  but  that  there  is  still  a  family  of  wealthy 
yeomen  there  of  the  name  of  Kalb.  At  the  time  inquired  of  there 
had  been  a  farmer,  John  Leonard  Kalb,  who,  with  his  wife  Margaret 
12 


266  NOTES. 

Seiz,  had  begotten  three  sons,  one  of  whom,  named  John,  was  born 
the  29th  of  June,  1721.  The  correspondence  of  the  given  and  sur- 
names, omitting  only  the  "de"  and  the  "seigneur,"  is  perfect, 
'ihrough  the  kindness  of  Dr.  George  Kapp,  Superior  Consiatorial 
Councillor  at  Munich,  I  was  subsequently  enabled  to  direct  a  more 
detailed  inquiry  to  Mr.  Recknagel,  which  was  answered  to  the  effect 
that  the  memory  of  the  grand-uncle  who  had  become  famous  in 
America  is  still  green  in  the  family,  and  that  a  number  of  descend- 
ants of  the  general's  brothers  are  still  living  near  Huetterulorf,  such 
as  Conrad  Kalb,  fanner  in  Huettendorf,  John  Kalb,  fanner  in  Gibigen- 
hof  ne'ir  Nuremberg,  John  Knlb,  landlord  and  master  bnker  in  Sta- 
dt-ln  near  Nuremberg,  and  Elias  Kalb,  optician  at  Nuremberg.  This 
welcome  and  unexpected  disclosure  of  course  induced  me  to  redouble 
my  exertions  in  ferreting  out  the  origin  of  the  gen  ral,  whom  I,  too, 
had  previously  taken  for  a  baron.  My  friend,  Aegidi,  helped  me  to 
still  another  correspondence,  which  had  been  conducted  by  the  gen- 
eral's widow  and  youngest  son  with  their  German  kindred  between 
the  years  1781  and  1803.  Mr.  Philip  Fenst,  student  of  law  at  Erlan- 
gen,  h;id  the  goodness  to  furnish  me  with  an  exact  copy  of  these 
twelve  letters.  The  perusal  of  these  papers  must  dissipate  every  re- 
maining doubt  of  Kalb's  real  extraction.  That  these  letters  are  gen- 
uine is  beyond  a  doubt;  because,  in  the  first  place,  the  family  at 
Iluettendorf  had  not  the  most  remote  interest  in  forging  such  a  cor- 
respondence, nor  even,  in  all  probability,  the  skill  to  fabricate  it ; 
secondly,  they  are  corroborated  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Recknagel 's  official 
extracts  from  the  parish  records ;  and,  finally,  all  the  names,  dates, 
and  persons  mentioned  in  the  letters  tally  with  the  facts  and  individ- 
uals set  forth  by  the  French  and  American  sources  of  information  at 
my  disposal.  The  oldest  of  these  letters  are  given  in  the  Appendix, 
and  speak  for  themselves. 

For  the  sake  of  completeness,  it  may  be  added  that,  after  a  long 
interruption,  Kalb's  youngest  son,  Elie  or  Elijah,  resumed  the  corre- 
spondence with  John  Ge  rge  Kalb  in  March,  1801,  from  Kippenberg, 
near  Brug,  on  the  Mur.  He  had  in  the  mean  time  assumed  the  name 
of  Elias  von  Kell,  and  had  become  an  ensign  in  the  Austrian  infantry 
regiment  of  Count  Erbach,  a  circumstance  which  is  mentioned  sev- 
eral time"  in  my  French  authorities.  "Seien  Sie  tersiehert,  mein  liebster 
Herr  Vetter,"  he  says,  u  doss  ich  wahres  Anteil  au  dem  Tod  Hirer 
Fran  Sehlich  nehme,  odcr  Sie  mucssten  mich  Sehr  missfannen,  war  Sie 
nicht  die  SchwetUr  meines  Helen  vatters  ?  "  "  Be  assured,  my  dearest 


NOTES.  267 

cousin,  that  I  sympathize  sincerely  with  you  in  the  death  of  your 
sainted  wife,  or  you  would  greatly  misjudge  me,  was  she  not  the  sis- 
ter of  my  dear  father?  " 

On  the  2d  of  June,  1802,  Elie,  now  promoted  to  the  rank  of  a 
lieutenant,  informs  "  his  true  friend  and  cousin  "  John  George  Kalb, 
of  Stadling,  that  his  patrimony  had  been  restored  to  him,  and  that  he 
proposed  to  return  to  France  by  way  of  Stadling.  This  ends  the 
correspondence  between  the  two.  Young  Kalb  returns  to  his  home, 
without  giving  himself  any  further  trouble  about  his  cousin,  who  had 
befriended  him  in  lime  of  need.  Early  in  the  year  1808,  John 
George  Kalb  inquired  of  Mr.  Burkhardt,  of  Ba*sle,  a  friend  of  the 
family,  what  had  become  of  his  cousin.  Burkhardt  replies  on  the  24th 
of  February,  1808,  that  Elie  de  Kalb  had  recently  married,  and  was 
living  quietly  at  Milon  la  Chapelle  near  Chevreuse,  a  statement  which 
agrees  precisely  with  the  pedigree,  on  the  faith  of  which  the  American 
Government  paid  Elie  de  Kalb's  claims  to  his  daughter.  Mr.  Burk- 
hardt concludes  his  letter  to  John  George  Kalb  by  saying,  "In  my 
opinion  the  silence  of  M.  de  Kalb  toward  those  who  so  kindly 
took  him  by  the  hand  in  the  year  of  the  emigration,  is  not  to  be 
excused." 

Thus  far  the  correspondence,  which  to  me  appears  to  place  the 
idei  tity  of  General  Jean  Baron  de  Kalb  with  the  peasant  boy  John 
Kalb,  beyond  all  manner  of  doubt.  The  baronial  family  of  the  de 
Kalbs  of  Rheinheim  had  become  extinct  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  Of  the  Barons  Kalb  of  Kalbsrieth,  but  a  single  branch 
survived  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  our  hero.  That  he  was  not  of 
their  kith  is  manifest  from  the  answer  given  by  Henry  de  Kalb,  after- 
ward the  husband  of  Schiller's  friend,  Charlotte  de  Kalb  nee 
Ostheimb,  then  a  captain  in  the  French  regiment  Deuxponts,  to 
General  Washington.  This  M.  de  Kalb,  with  his  regiment,  took  part 
in  the  French  expedition  to  America,  and  distinguished  him«elf  at  the 
siege  of  Yorktown.  When  presented  to  Washington,  the  first  question 
of  the  latter  was,  whether  he  was  connected  with  General  de  Kalb, 
who  had  recently  fallen  at  Cainden?  Henry  de  Kalb  answered  that 
he  did  not  know  him,  had  never  seen  him,  and  never  heard  of  him. 
(I  have  this  fact  from  an  oral  communication  by  Miss  Edda  de  Kalb, 
of  Berlin,  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Charlotte.)  That  the  general 
never  received  a  French  patent  of  nobility,  is  proved  by  the  circum- 
stance that  he  figures  in  the  army  lists  as  Jean  de  Kalb  from  the 
moment  of  his  first  appearance  as  a  young  lieutenant  in  1743. 


268  NOTES. 

2.  This  statement  is  made  by  Kalb  himself  in  a  memorial  handed 
to  the  Marquis  de  Monteynard  the  19th  of  September,  1773,  and  to 
the  Prince  de  Montbarey,  the  31st  of  August,  1779.    I  find  it,  like  all 
the  subsequent  data  relative  to  his  promotion  in  the  army,  unquali- 
fiedly confirmed  by  Kalb's  Etat  de  service  in  the  French  ministry  of 
war,  the  papers  of  which  were  examined  for  me  through  the  kind 
intervention  of  M.  Louis  Tribert. 

3.  Geschichte  der  Revolutionszeit,  by  Henry  von  Sybel,  vol.  I., 
p.  43. 

4.  See  Appendix  II.,  where  the  reader  may  advance  his  study  of 
the  manners  and  morals  of  the  last  century,  by  perusing  some  exiracts 
from  letters  of  Kalb's  colleagues  and  comrades  on  the  subject  dis- 
cussed in  the  text. 

5.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Nachtmnnn),  from  which  the  narrative  at 
the  close  of  the  chapter  is  extracted. 

6.  F.   W.  Barthold's  "Die  geschichtlichen  Persoenlichkeiten  in 
Jakob  Casanova's  Memoiren,"  Berlin,  1846,  II.,  130.  131.  Schlosser's 
"Geschichte  des  18  Jahrliunderts,"  II.,  366.     How  much  even  the 
most  highly -educated  German  princes,  who  fought  on  the  side  of 
their   country,   were    imbued  with   French    thoughts   and   feelings, 
appears  from  a  remark  made  by  the  Duke  Ferdinand  of  Brunswick, 
recorded  in  Boisgelin's  manuscript  notes  of  his  conversations  with 
Ferdinand,  and  quoted  in  both  of  the  works  above  cited. 

"  Mais,  Monsieur,  me  disait  le  prince,  il  n'y  a  pas  d'officicr 

general  en  Allemagne,  quelque  grand,  seigneur  qu'il  soil,  qui  ne  te 
regarddt  comme  tres-heureux  de  pouwir  passer  au  service  de  France. 
Quel  bonheur  de.faire  la  guerre  avec  des  Francais  et  de  vivre  avec  eux 
d  Paris  pendant  la  paix  !  Ce  n'est  pas  pour  vous  faire  un  compli- 
ment, ce  n'est  point  parce  que  vous  etes  Francais,  que  je  vous  conjure, 
qu'il  n*y  a  pas  unparmi  nous,  qui  nefut  enchante  at  servir  en  France." 

7.  Eistoire  des  Trovpes  Strangles  au  service  de  France,  par  Eugene 
Fieffe,  commis  principal  aux  archives  du  ministerede  la  guerre,  2  vol. 
Paris,  1854,  I.,  pp.  268-271.     The  passage  translated  in  the  text  is 
found  in  volume  L,  pp.  283-285.    Also  Schloezer's  Correspondence 
XIV.,  103-107.     The  work  first  cited  is  particularly  rich  in  materials 
on  this  topic,  and  is  an  unintentional  but  scathing  denunciation  of 
the  petty  sovereignty  and  seedy  nubility  of  Germany  during  the 
seventeenth   and   eighteenth   centuries.      No   German  not  entirely 
callous  to  the  honor  of  his  country  can  read  Fieffe's  book  without 
burning  shame  and  indignation. 


NOTES.  269 

8.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Nachtmann). 

9.  Archenholz's  History  of  the  Seven  Years'  "War,  I.,  234. 

10.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Nachtmann). 

11.  Ibidem. 

12.  Ibidem. 

13.  Ibidem. 

14.  " Cho iseulund seine  Zeit,  von  Kurd  vonSchloezer"  Berlin,  1857, 
p.  122. 

15.  Benjamin  Franklin's  Works,  by  Jared  Sparks,  VII.,  357,  where 
he  writes  from  London,  August  28,  1767,  to  his  son  "William  : 

"  De  Guercby,  the  French  ambassador,  is  gone  home,  and  Mr. 
Durand  is  left  Minister  Plenipotentiary.  He  is  extremely  curious  to 
inform  himself  in  the  affairs  of  America,  pretends  to  have  a  great  es- 
teem for  me  on  account  of  the  abilities  shown  in  my  examination,  has 
desired  to  have  all  my  political  writings,  invited  me  to  dine  with  him, 
was  very  inquisitive,  treated  me  with  great  civilities,  makes  me 
visits,  &c."  *. 

"  I  fancy  that  intriguing  nation  would  like  very  well  to  meddle 
on  occasion  and  blow  up  the  coals  between  Britain  and  the  colonies, 
but  I  hope  we  shall  give  them  no  opportunity." 

16.  George  Bancroft's  History  of  the  United  States,  VI.,  25,  and 
further  on,  at  page  67. 

17.  French  archives  (ministry  of  foreign  affairs).    From  this  docu- 
ment on  to  the  Kalb's  Boston  letter  of  May  2, 1768,  in  the  next  chapter, 
copies  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Bancroft,  for  the  loan  of  which  I  am 
indebted  to  him. 

18.  New  York  Gazette  and  "Weekly  Mercury,  February  8,  1768, 
from  which  journal  the  account  of  the  accident  is  taken. 

19.  French  archives  (ministry  of  war),  procured  through  the  kind 
assistance  of  Mr.  John  Bigelow,  pi£oe  26. 

20.  Thomas  Jefferson,  par  Cornells  de  Witt,  troisieme  edition,  Paris, 
1861,  pp.  427,  446,  and  Mr.  Bancroft's  copies  from  the  archives  of  the 
ministry  of  foreign  affairs. 

21.  French  archives  (ministry  of  war),  piece  55. 

22.  Friedrich  von  Kaumer,  "  Beitraege  zur  Neueren  GescMchte  " 
(1763-1783),  Leipsie,  1839,  II.,  163. 

23.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Nachtmann). 

24.  Biographic  Universelle,  article  "  Broglie"     The  letter  itself 
is  appended. 

25.  Bancroft's  History  of  the  United  States,  vol.  VIII.,  pp.  328- 


270  NOTES. 

844,  where  is  to  be  found  the  first  clear  and  authentic  exposition  of 
the  matter  treated  in  the  text.  It  is  the  more  important  to  keep 
these  points  in  view,  as  the  plain  facts  have  been  much  distorted  by 
the  contradictory  exaggerations  of  Deane,  Beaumarchais,  Lee,  and 
du  Coudray,  each  of  whom  was  anxious  to  appropriate  the  merit  of 
having  sent  the  munitions  of  war. 

26.  Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  the  Revolution,  by  Jared  Sparks, 
vol.  L,  pp.  71,  95,  97,  98. 

27.  English  archives,  S.  P.  O.  France,  vol.  497.     I  am  indebted 
for  this  letter  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Geo.  Bancroft.     Stormond,  it  is 
true,  spells  Kalb's  name  in  the  text  "  Colb6  ;  "  but  the  identity  of 
Kalb  with  Colb6  is  established,  apart  from  all  other  considerations, 
by  the  fact  that  the  latter  is  called  a  son-in-law  of  the  well-known 
van  Robnis,  and  that  Holtzendorf  is  named  as  his  companion. 

28.  Interesting  particulars  relative  to  the  failure  of  this  expedition 
are  found  in  "  Beaumarchais  etson  temps,"  par  de  LomSnie,  vol.  III., 
pp.  150-160,  which,  by-the-bye,  is  cited  in  the  text  in  the  English 
translation  by  Henry  S.  Edwards,  London,  1806. 

29.  Diplomatic  Correspondence,  vol.  I.,  p.  101. 

30.  Papers  in  relation  to  the  case  of  Silas  Deane,  Philadelphia, 
1855. 

31.  32.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Nuchtmann). 

83.  MS.  memorial  of  Dubois  Martin,  in  the  Maryland  Historical 
Society  in  Baltimore,  Portfolio  No.  9.  The  statements  of  this  in- 
teresting document  are  to  be  received  with  great  caution,  not  only 
because  they  were  made  for  the  purpose  of  attracting  the  attention 
of  Lafayette,  at  the  time  of  his  visit  to  this  country  in  1824,  to  the 
grandiloquent  author,  who  was  then  living  at  Baltimore  in  straitened 
circumstances,  but  also  because  Dubois  speaks  of  many  things  as  an 
eye-witness,  which  he  could  only  have  learned  from  hearsay. 

34.  This  and  the  following  sketch  are  based  upon  the  letters  of 
Kalb  to  bis  wife,  which  I  have  found  in  Knlb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la 
Chapelle),  and  which  are  the  more  reliable  as  they  narrate  the  little 
incidents  of  almost  every  day,  without  any  thought  of  publication. 

85.  Lafnyette  to  Mr.-».  Geymueller.    See  Appendix  VIII. 

36,  37.  Raumer,  ubi  sup.  III.,  231,  232,  and  242. 

38.  Washington's  Writings,  by  Jared  Sparks,  V.,  449. 

39.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon   la  Chapelle),  letter  of  June  20, 
1777. 

40.  Washington  State    Department  Papers,   Volume  No.   164, 
p.  306. 


NOTES.  271 

41.  Life  of  Steuben,  by  Friedrich  Kapp,  New  York,  1858,  p.  527. 

42.  Journals  of  Congress  (Dunlap's  Edition),  III.,  276. 

43.  Ibid.,  III.,  279. 

44.  Ibid.,  III.,  323. 

45.  Ibid.,  III.,  394. 

46.  Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  the  Revolution,  I.,  295.     See 
Appendix  IX. 

47.  Memoirs  of  Segur,  vol.  I. 

48.  Department  of  State  Papers,  Washington,  vol.  "  de  Kalb." 

49.  Journals  of  Congress,  III.    The  resolution  is  printed  in  the 
Appendix  X. 

50.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle). 

61.  Journals  of  Congress,  III.,  Session  of  October  4th.     See  Ap- 
pendix X. 

52.  Kalb  to  his  wife,  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle). 

53.  Washington's  Writings,  V.,  p.  204. 

54.  Ibid.,  pp.  157  and  167. 

55.  This  and  the  following  letter  from  Kalb  to  Broglie,  of  the 
year  1777,  are  found  in  the  French  ministry  of  foreign  affairs,  where 
they  were  copied  by  Mr.  George  Bancroft.     Mr.  Bigelow  afterward 
had  the  same  letters  copied  for  me  in  the  ministry  of  war.     Broglie 
acted  evidently  as  a  go-between  with  Vergennes,  St.  Germain,  and 
Kalb,  or  his  letters  would  hardly  have  got  into  the  archives  of  the 
ministries  of  war  and  of  foreign  affairs. 

56.  Communicated  to  me  by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  George  H.  Moore, 
from  the  Laurens  Manuscript  papers  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Evertt 
Duyckinck. 

57.  Lafayette's  letter  of  acceptance  to  Congress,  dated  January 
31,  1778 ;   found  in  the  Washington  State  Department  Manuscript 
Papers,  vol.  156,  pp.  7,  etc. 

58.  Gates'  instructions  are  found  at  the  same  place,  vol.  156, 
pp.  55  et  seq. 

59.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle). 

60.  Washington  Irving's  Life  of  Washington,  III.,  362. 

61.  Gates'  MS.  papers,  in  the  possession  of  the  New  York  His- 
torical Society,  vol.  12. 

62.  Ibid.,  vol.  13. 

63.  Revolutionary  Correspondence,   by  Jared  Sparks,  vol.   II., 
pp.  93,  94. 

64.  Life  of  Steuben,  by  Friedrich  Kapp,  p.  139. 


272  NOTES. 

65.  Washington's  Writings,  V.,  360. 

66.  The  oath  is  found  in  the  Army  Returns,  No.  37,  Oaths  of 
Allegiance,  Q.  17,  vol.  I.,  No.  10,  in  the  Washington  State  Depart- 
ment, and  Revolutionary  Orders  of  General  Washington,  by  Henry 
Whiting,  New  York,  1844,  p.  80. 

67.  Letter  from  Kalb  to  Colonel  Pettit,  Assistant  Quartermaster- 
general,  dated  September  22,  1778,  kindly  communicated  to  me  in 
MS.  by  Dr.  Sprague,  of  Albany. 

68.  69.    Kalb's   MS.    papers    (Milon    la    Chapelle) ;    the  letters 
are  addressed  to  his  wife. 

70.  Washington's  Writings,  VI.,  p.  126. 

71.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle). 

72.  Washington's  Writings,  VI.,  268. 

73.  74,  and  76.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle). 

75.  Life  of  Stenben,  by  Friedrich  Kapp,  New  York,  1859,  pp.  228- 
231. 

77.  Kalb  here  quotes  Virgil  without  having  the  book  at  band,  and 
naturally  commits  a  few  slips  of  memory.     If  the  reader  desires  fully 
to  appreciate  the  beanty  of  this  most  poetical  comparison,  and  its 
telling  application  to  the  position  in  which  Kalb  then  found  himself, 
let  him  turn  to  Virgil's  ^Eneid,  III.,  254,  257,  and  VII.,  110-116  and 
124-134,  which  contain  the  prophecies  of  Celaeno,  and  their  fulfil- 
ment. 

78.  Life  of  Frederick  William  von  Steuben,  by  Friedrich  Kapp, 
New  York,  1859,  p.  706. 

79.  Lossing's  Pictorial  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution,  I.,  317. 

80.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle),  letters  dated  Decem- 
ber 7,  1779,  January  1,  20,  and  26,  and  February  12,  1780. 

81.  Life  of  Steuben,  by  Friedrich  Kapp,  p.  239. 

82.  Washington's  Writings,  by  Sparks,  VL,  413. 

83.  Ibid.,  p.  487. 

84.  Ibid.,  p.  416. 

85.  See  Revolutionary  Correspondence,  II.,  404,  415. 

86.  Ibid.,  II.,  p.  480. 

87.  Washington's  Writings,  VI.,  494. 

88.  Revolutionary  Correspondence,  II.,  450. 

89.  Washington's  Writings,  VII.,  7. 

90.  Ibid.,  p.  15. 

91.  Ibid.,  p.  10. 

92.  A  Narrative  of  the  Campaign  of  1780,  by  Colonel  O.  H.  Wil 


NOTES.  273 

Hams,  Adjutant-General.  This  journey  of  one  of  the  ablest  officers 
of  the  Revolution  is  printed  as  an  appendix  to  Johnston's  Sketches  of 
the  Life  alid  Correspondence  of  Nathanael  Greene,  Charleston,  1822, 
vol.  IV.,  pp.  485-507,  and  in  the  valueless  little  biography  of  General 
Greene,  by  W.  G.  Simms,  New  York,  1850,  pp.  359-383.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  important  documents  in  the  history  of  the  southern  cam- 
paign of  General  Kalb,  whose  adjutant  Williams  then  was.  Both 
before  and  after  this  period  Colonel  Williams  served  as  inspector ;  he 
stood  high  in  Kalb's  confidence  and  esteem.  I  shall  have  frequent 
occasion  to  cite  him  hereafter,  and  in  so  doing,  shall  refer  to  the  pag- 
ing in  Simms'  book,  that  being  the  more  familiar  and  accessible  of 
the  two. 

93.  Revolutionary  Correspondence,  II.,  448. 

94.  Diary  of  Christopher  Marshall  in  Philadelphia   (MS.),  com- 
municated by  William  Duane,  Esq.,  of  that  city. 

95.  Gates'  MS.  papers,  vol.  XVII.      The  letter  here  quoted  also 
furnishes  the  data  of  Kalb's  journey  from  Philadelphia  to  Petersburg. 

96.  Revolutionary  Correspondence,  II.,  371. 

97.  98.  Kalb's  MS.  papers  (Milon  la  Chapelle). 
99,  100.  Williams'  Narrative,  pp.  360,  361. 

101.  Washington  Irving's  Life  of  Washington,  8vo  edition,  IV.,  75. 

102,  103.  Gates'  MS.  papers,  vol.  17. 

104.  The  recital  from  Gates'  arrival  in  camp  to  the  close  of  the 
chapter  is  literally  extracted  from  Williams'  Narrative. 

105.  Ibid.,  and  General  Orders  from  July  26,  1780,  to  August  15, 
1780,  MS.  in  possession  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Maryland  in 
Baltimore,  to  which  I  am  particularly  indebted  for  precision  in  dates. 

106.  Gates'  MS.  papers,  vol.  XVII. 

107.  Williams,  vM  sup.  2.     General  Gist's  Order  Book  (in  pos- 
session of  the  Historical  Society  of  Maryland  in  Baltimore,  where 
I  examined  it),  and  Henry  Lee's  Memoirs  of  the  War  in  the  Southern 
Department,  Washington,  1827,  p.  85. 

108.  Williams,  uMsup. 

109.  Stedman's  American  War  (8vo  edition),  II.,  226-228. 

110.  History  of  the  Campaign  of  1780  and  1781  in  the  Southern 
Provinces  of  North  America,  by  Lieut.-colonel  Tarleton,  London, 
1787,  p.  99. 

111.  Williams,  vbi  sup.,  and  Smith's  Memoir  of  Baron  de  Kalb, 
p.  17. 

112.  Thatcher's  Military  Journal,  p.  206. 

12* 


274  NOTES. 

113.  Correspondence  of  Charles,  First  Marquis  Cornwallis,  by 
Charles  Ross,  in  3  vols.,  London,  John  Murray,  1859,  L,  pp.  65,  56,  a 
compilation  which,  so  far  as  American  affairs  are  concerned,  is  ex- 
tienaely  sup?rficial  and  worthless. 

114.  Stedman,  ubi  sup.,  p.  230,  231. 

115.  Williams,  ubi  sup. 

116.  The  account  of  the  battle  is  founded  mainly  on  the  report 
of  Williams,  an  eye-wimess,  whose  testimony,  however,  is  confirmed 
by  all  the  authorities  on  both  sides. 

117.  Williams,  Thatcher,  and  Garden  relate  the  death  of  Kalb  in 
the  same  terms ;  it  would  seem,  indeed,  as  if  the  latter  two  writers 
had  copied  from  the  former,  who  was  an  eye-witness. 

118.  Correspondence  of  Cornwallis,  I.,  p.  56. 

119.  Wheeler's  History  of  North  Carolina,  II.,  154.     Humphrey 
Hunter's  account,  there  followed,  is  adopted  by  me  in  so  far  only  as 
he  speaks  as  an  eye-witness.     What  he  gives  from  hearsay  bears  in- 
ternal marks  of  improbability,  and  is  at  variance  with  the  statements 
of  better  observers. 

120.  Maryland  Journal,  1760,  and  J.  Spear  Smith's  Memoir,  al- 
ready cited,  p.  26. 

121.  Revolutionary  Correspondence,  III.,  76 ;  Gates'  MS.  papers 
and  Washington's  Writings,  VII.,  239,  285. 

122.  Resolutions  and  Acts  of  Congress,  VI.,  214  (Dunlap's  Edi- 
tion). 

123.  Colonel  Nicholas  Rogers,  of  Baltimore,  to  Gcnernl  Henry 
Lee.    See  Appendix  XV.,  where  the  letter  is  printed  in  extenso. 

124.  I  am  indebted  for  the  first  pedigree  of  the  descendants  of 
Kalb  to  J.  Caroll  Brent,  Esq.  of  Washington,  for  many  years  the  so- 
licitor of  the  family  before  Congress.     The  data  there  given  are  con- 
firmed by  an  essay  written  by  the  son  of  Elie  de  Kalb  in  1829,  and 
found  in  the  papers  of  Milon  la  Cliapelle.     The  latest  additions  were 
furnished  by  Mr.  J.  Nachtmann,  the  established  friend  of  the  family. 
See  Appendix,  where  the  summary  of  the  parents,  brother?,  and  sis- 
ters of  Kalb,  furnished  by  the  Rev.  M.  Recknagel,  is  also  given. 

125.  Statement  by  Elie  de  Kalb  in  his  contemporary  letter  to  liis 
kinsman  in  Franconia  (with  which  I  have  been  favored  by  Philip 
Fenst,  Esq.,  student  of  law),  borne  out  by  the  family  papers  at  Milon 
la  Chapelle. 

126.  I  am  indebted  for  the  particulars  of  this  grant  of  lands  to 
the  kindness  of  Alfred  Schuecking,  Esq.,  of  Washington,  who  at- 


NOTES.  275 

tempted,  shortly  before  the  year  1850,  to  recover  the  land  for  the 
family,  which  would  have  been  an  easy  matter  at  that  time,  bat 
which  was  frustrated  by  the  heirs  of  Kalb  themselves. 

127.  The  various  committee  reports  on  this  matter  were  kindly 
presented  to  me  by  J.  Caroll  Brent,  Esq.     They  are  Report  No.  184, 
31st  Congress,  first  session,  House  of  Representatives,  March  28, 1850, 
and  Report  No.  193,  33d  Congress,  first  session,  House  of  Representa- 
tives, February  6,  1854.     From  them  I  have  taken  the  statements  of 
the  text. 

128.  Congressional  Globe,  Vol.  XXX.,  33d  Congress,  second  ses- 
sion, pp.  68,  250,  320,  357. 

129.  Washington's  Writings,  XII.,  p.  200. 

130.  An  accurate  description  of  all  the  solemnities  observed  on 
this  occasion,  and  the  text  of  the  speeches  made  by  those  who  par- 
ticipated, is  found  in  the  "  Voice  of  Masonry,  and  Tidings  from  the 
Craft,"  Vol.  L,  number  23,  Louisville,  Kentucky,  December  15,  1859, 
to  which  Masonic  periodical  these  facts  were  communicated  by  brother 
J.  B.  Kershaw,  of  Camden.     I  am  under  obligations  to  Dr.  R.  Bar- 
thelmes,  of  Brooklyn,  who  is  collecting  information  relative  to  the 
German  Freemasons  in  America,  preparatory  to  the  publication  of  a 
work  on  the  subject,  for  the  loan  of  this  interesting  number  of  that 
journal. 

131.  B.  J.  Lossing's  Pictorial  Field- Book  of  the  Revolution,  II., 
468,  where,  also,  a  picture  of  the  monument  is  given. 

132.  Statistics  of  the  Principality  of  Bayreuth,   by  G.  W.  A.  Fik- 
enscher,  Munich,  1811,  p.  98  and  6. 

133.  Oral  and  perfectly  reliable  communication  by  an  old  inhabi- 
tant of  the  castle  of  Bruckberg,  made  to  the  author  in  Sept.,  1843. 

134.  John  Gottlob  von  Meyern,  in  his  ';  Nachrichten  von  derpoliti- 
schen  und  oekonomischen  Verfussung  des  Fuerstenthums  Bayreuth,  und 
der  in  diesem  Jahrhundert  verstor'benen  MarTcgrafen  von  Brandenburg, 
Bayreuth,  Gotha,  1780,"  pp.  20-25,  thus  describes  this  margrave  and 
the  doings  of  his  court:  "His  naturally  restless  disposition  had  not 
been  properly  controlled  in  early  life ;  the  consequence  of  which  was 
that  he  abandoned  himself  too  much  to  his  favorites  and  ministers,  to 
frivolous  amusements  and  expensive  luxuries.     His  prime  minister 
and  special  favorite,  Ellrod,  had  the  address  to  prevent  his  lord  from 
being  approached  by  anything  capable  of  producing  an  unpleasant 
impression  or  causing  uneasiness.     He  managed  to  provide  the  means 
of  meeting  the  most  urgent  wants,  and  to  silence  the  remonstrances 


276  NOTES. 

of  the  administrative  and  financial  boards  against  the  constant  in« 
crease  of  the  public  debt.  He  was  the  son  of  a  court  chaplain  of 
Bayreuth,  and  artfully  raised  himself  from  the  position  of  governor 
of  the  pages  to  that  of  prime  minister  and  count  of  the  empire.  The 
court  dignitaries  consisted  of  a  chief  marshal,  a  court  marshal,  a  mas- 
ter of  ceremonies,  various  gentlemen  of  the  chamber  and  the  court, 
French  and  German  cooks,  gentlemen  of  the  bed-chamber,  waiting- 
men,  servants,  footmen,  and  runners.  Of  German  and  foreign  game- 
keepers, whippers-in  and  huntsmen,  and  the  accompanying  dogs  and 
horses,  there  was  more  than  abundance.  A  troup  of  the  first  Italian 
male  and  female  singers,  under  the  direction  of  eminent  German  per- 
formers, discoursed  the  most  exquisite  vocal  and  instrumental  music, 
and  gave  evidence  of  the  cultivated  taste  of  the  margrave  and  hia 
consort.  In  addition  to  this  an  academy  of  music  was  established 
for  the  benefit  of  the  amateui  s  of  the  court  and  the  capital.  The 
French  theatre  was  stocked  with  the  best  French  actresses,  and  with 
dancers  of  all  the  nations  of  Europe,  which,  as  well  as  the  French 
cook?,  were  paid  like  ministers  of  state,  and  rapidly  accumulated 
enough  to  purchase  annuities  and  landed  estates  in  France.  Even 
the  celebrated  Paris-ian  tragedian  Lekain  and  the  comedian  Preville 
were  called  to  Bayreuth,  and  munificently  rewarded  for  their  per- 
formances. The  operatic  and  theatrical  performances  nnd  tlie  acade- 
my of  music  were  open  to  every  one  free  of  charge.  Tlie  margrave 
wanted  others  to  share  in  all  his  pleasures.  The  enjoyment  of  his 
servants  and  subjects  was  his  own.  For  the  purpose  of  extending 
the  same  advantages  to  the  lower  portion  of  his  dominions,  he  fre- 
quently removed  his  court  to  Erlangen." 

The  annual  expenses  for  ornamental  architecture  were  50,000 
florins.  The  money  was  disbursed  by  French  and  Italian  architects. 
It  was  this  department  in  which  French  noblemen  such  as  Mirabeau, 
Adhemar,  Montperny,  Chatelet,  and  others  made  their  livelihood  and 
fortunes.  "The  extent  of  these  operations,  the  academy,  and  the 
funds  expended  on  the  education  of  intelligent  young  men,  were  the 
means  of  training  skilled  artists  and  mechanics,  who,  afier  the  death 
of  the  margrave,  were  employed  in  the  architectural  department  at 
Berlin  and  Potsdam.  Even  a  danseufie,  Miss  Heinlin,  born  and  in- 
structed at  Bayreuth,  was  the  admiration  of  all  the  connoisseurs  of 
London  and  Paris  for  years  after  the  death  of  the  margrave." 

135.  Parliamentary  Register,  VII.,  44;  transactions  of  February 
1,  1777  ;  and  Schloezer's  "  StaaUameiger?  vol.  VI. 


NOTES.  277 

136.  The  character  of  Lady  Milford,  the  "  virtuous  wanton,"  in 
Schiller's  "  Love  and  Intrigue,"  would  seem  to  be  a  portrait  of  Lady 
Craven,  who  was  the  last  mistress  of  Charles  Alexander,  the  last 
margrave  of  Ansbach-Bayreuth,  and  who  persuaded  him  to  cede  his 
principality  to  the  Prussian  crown.     The  second  scene  of  the  third 
act  of  that  play  is  highly  colored ;  but  that  it  is  not  untrue  to  the  life 
appears  from  the  succeeding  note. 

137.  In  1777  the  "  Hamburg  Correspondent,"  then  the  leading 
political  journal  of  Germany,  published  letters  from  two  correspond- 
ents, which  I  can  the  less  refrain  from  reproducing  here,  as  they  dis- 
play most  manifestly  the  enthusiasm  and  devotion  with  which  Kalb's 
countrymen  followed  the  flag  of  their  margrave  to  America. 

"  On  the  9th  of  this  month,"  says  a  correspondent  writing  from 
Nuremberg,  March  18,  1777,  "  certain  German  troops  on  their  way  to 
England  broke  out  into  a  rebellion,  which  might  have  had  serious 
consequences,  if  the  sovereign  had  not,  in  his  own  person,  re- 
paired to  the  ships  that  same  evening,  and  restored  order  by  tl;e  in- 
fluence of  his  august  presence.  Nevertheless  some  violence  had 
already  been  committed,  one  man  having  been  kil'ed  and  five  wound- 
ed, while  thirty  others  had  seized  the  opportunity  of  making  their 
escape.  The  accompanying  commissaries  had  been  compelled  to  fly 
for  their  lives  to  a  neighboring  city." 

"  On  the  9th  instant,"  says  another  correspondent  of  the  same  paper, 
writing  from  the  lower  Elbe  under  date  of  April  3,  1777,  "the  An- 
spach  troops  marched  to  the  river's  bank  at  Ochsenfurt,  and  were 
shipped.  The  narrow  space  in  the  vessels  induced  Colonel  d'Eyb, 
who  commanded  the  brigade,  to  lay  by  a  little  on  the  10th,  in  order 
to  make  the  soldiers  a  little  more  comfortable.  He  gave  orders  to 
cook  the  rations,  and  to  be  in  readiness  for  marching.  But  as  the 
boatmen  had  no  orders  to  procure  more  bottoms,  there  was  not  time 
to  redress  this  grievance,  or  prepare  comfortable  quarters  for  the  sol- 
diers. They  resigned  themselves  to  their  fate,  however,  and  were 
only  anxious  soon  to  reach  Wuerzburg.  Idleness  led  them  to  drink,  and 
then  some  of  the  grenadiers  of  the  Bayretith  regimeut  Voith  began 
to  murmur.  They  were  joined  by  a  number  from  the  regiment  Eyb, 
until  at  length  all  united  in  prolesting  that  they  had  sworn  to  serve 
on  land  but  not  by  water.  A  number  now  began  to  quit  the  ships 
and  their  flags,  called  to  their  comrades  to  follow  them,  and  marched 
off  into  the  mountains,  avoiding  Ochsenfurt.  The  officers  in  vain  en- 
deavored to  bring  them  to  order ;  some  of  the  ringleaders  had  already 


278  NOTES. 

passed  the  vineyards.  The  riflemen  posted  there  now  fired,  and  shot 
a  number  of  the  deserters,  and  Eckert's  grenadier  company  of  the 
regiment  Eyb  set  itself  in  motion,  and  undertook  to  recall  the  mu- 
tineers by  friendly  expostulations.  At  this  moment,  however,  the 
disturbance  became  general,  and  Captain  d'Eckert  of  the  grenadiers, 
and  Lieutenants  de  Schoenfeldt,  d'Adelsheim,  and  Kuhlau,  who  were 
joined  by  Lieutenant  von  Reitzenstein  as  a  volunteer,  were  ordered 
to  quell  the  riot,  when  they  caused  d'Eckert's  grenadier  company 
to  inarch  against  the  regiment  Voith,  and  to  prepare  to  load.  This 
brought  the  brawlers  to  their  senses,  and  they  reentered  their  ranks, 
whereupon  the  grenadiers  uncocked  their  pieces  and  returned.  There 
being  some  difficulty  as  to  which  company  should  first  march  on 
board,  it  was  resolved  to  march  back  on  shore  from  Ochsenfurt  to 
Uffenheim.  The  grenadiers  of  the  regiment  Eyb,  however,  assured 
the  brigadier  that  he  would  have  no  difficulty  in  reshipping  them ; 
they  were  prepared  to  show  themselves  ready  to  execute  the  orders 
of  their  prince  on  all  occasions.  This  was  done;  Sereniasimus  ar- 
rived at  four  o'clock  next  morning,  and  at  his  appearance  the  dutiful 
soldiers  shed  tears  of  joy,  and  quietly  resumed  their  march" 


The  portrait  of  Kalb  given  in  the  frontispiece  was  engrnved  from 
a  photograph  taken  by  order  of  Mr.  J.  Nachtmann,  and  kindly  pre- 
sented to  the  author,  from  an  oil  painting  belonging  to  the  general's 
grand-daughter,  the  Vicomtesse  d'Alzac.  It  represents  our  hero  in 
the  costume  of  the  day,  and  was  taken  immediately  before  his  de- 
parture for  America.  A  portrait  in  oil,  owned  by  the  Maryland  His- 
torical Society  at  Baltimore,  corresponds  with  this  engraving  in  the 
smallest  particulars,  and  appears  to  have  been  copied  from  the  same 
family  picture,  to  which  is  also  to  be  referred  the  copy  to  be  found 
in  Independence  Hall  at  Philadelphia. 

The  facsimile  under  the  picture  is  taken  from  his  letter  written  at 
Petersburg,  May  29,  1780,  which  is  given  at  large  in  the  text,  and 
was  also  presented  to  the  author  by  Mr.  J.  Nachtmann.  It  is  one  of 
the  latest  writings  found  among  his  papers. 


APPENDIX. 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  WIFE  AND  CHILDREN  OF  GENERAL 
KALB  TO  THEIR  GERMAN  KINSMEN. 

1.   MADAME  DE  KALB  A  MR.  GEORGE  DE  KALB  A  STADIJNG. 

PARIS,  le  20  Janvier,  1781. 

MON  TRES  GHEE  FRERE  :  Je  snis  on  ne  peut  pas  etre  plus  sensible 
a  la  lettre  tendre  et  consolante  que  vous  m'avez  fait  1'honneur  de 
m'ecrire.  Lts  sentimens  que  vous  m'y  marquez  me  penetrent  du 
sincere  regret  de  me  voir  si  eloign6e  d'une  famille  qui  aurait  fait  ma 
plus  grande  consolation  et  qui,  en  me  rappellant  le  meilleur  des  maris, 
aurait  me!6  ses  larmes  a  celles  que  je  repands  et  ne  cesserni  de  repan- 
dre  tous  les  jours  de  ma  vie.  Mais  me  voyant  privee  de  cette  satis- 
faction je  chercherai  a  m'en  dedommager  en  inspirant  a  mes  enfans 
les  sentiments  dont  j'ai  ete  penetree  pour  la  famille  de  mon  mari. 
Quand  ils  seront  en  age  et  qu'ils  pourront  faire  le  voyage  sans  nuire 
a  leur  education  et  a  leur  avancement,  je  les  enverrai  vous  rendre 
leurs  devoirs  et  vous  prier  de  les  presenter  au  reste  de  la  famille  .  . 
J'ai  joint  a  la  lettre  de  mon  fils  nn  model  de  procura- 
tion qui  m'est  tres  essentiel  d'avoir  pour  1'arrangement  de  mes  af- 
faires. J'attribue,  mon  tres  cher  frere,  votre  silence  a  cet  egard  sur 
ce  qui  je  ne  vous  avais  pas  observ6  que  cette  procuration  ne  vous  en- 
gage a  rien  parceque,  suivant  la  coutume  de  Paris,  les  parens  qui 
donnent  leurs  avis  pour  la  nomination  d'un  tutetir  ou  d'un  subrogu6 

tutenr,  ne  sont  pas  garants  de  sa  gestion Je  desirerais  que 

vos  affaires  puissent  vous  permettre  de  venir  ici.  Dans  cecas  la  pro- 
curation deviendrait  inutile,  vous  verriez  L-s  clioses  par  vous-meme, 
et  je  vous  prierais,  d'accepter  nn  logement  chez  moi,  et  de  disposer  de 
tout  conime  si  vous  etiez  dans  votre  maison.  II  ne  serait  et  question 
que  pour  lorsque  de  trouver  quelqu'un  qui  put  expliquer  en  allemand 
ce  que  vous  n'entendez  pas,  ce  qui  je  crois  ne  serait  pas  difficile.  Ne 


280  APPENDIX. 

cloutez  pas,  je  vous  prie,  de  la  satisfaction  quej'auraide  Tons  voir  ac- 
cepter ma  proposition,  et  de  vonsprouver  de  vive  voix  les  sentiments 
distingues  avec  lesquels  j'ai  1'honneur  d'etre  votre  tres  humble  et 
obeissante  servante  et  soear. 

VAOBOBAIS  DB  EALB. 

2.  ELIJAH  KALB  TO  MR.  SIEBENKAES8,  HUCKSTER*  AT  THE  NEW  GATE  AT 
NUREMBERG. 

BASLE,  April  6, 1793. 

MY  VERY  DEAR  COUSIN  :  I  would  be  very  unfeeling  if  I  did  not 
take  all  sorts  of  trouble  to  show  you  my  gratitude.  Unfortunately, 
the  German  language  is  not  familiar  enough  to  me,  in  writing,  for 
me  to  make  use  of  it.  But  the  great  kindness  with  which  you  have 
requested  me  to  write  to  you  in  Germany,  and  the  fatherly  affection 
which  yon  have  hitherto  shown  me,  has  given  me  a  heart  to  try  it. 
The  certificate  you  procured  for  me  has  been  sent  at  once  to  Paris  ; 
but  I  do  not  yet  know  what  effect  it  lias  had.  As  regards  the  amount 
which  you  had  the  goodness  to  disburse  for  me,  my  brother-in-law 
will  send  it  to  you  by  the  same  merchant  who  handed  you  my  first 
letter. 

Pardon  my  bad  writing,  my  dearest  cousin  ;  but  it  is  not  to  be 
pardoned,  that  one  who  is  of  German  blood,  and  who  has  lived  a 
long  time  in  Germany,  should  not  write  better.  I  speak  it  as  well 
as  the  French,  but  writing  I  have  not  used.  I  cann->t  sufficiently 
express  to  you  my  gratitude  and  friendship,  with  which  I  have  the 
honor  to  be,  my  dearest  cousin,  your  most  obedient  servant,  friend, 
and  cousin.  ELIJAH  KALB. 

For  the  better  understanding  of  this  letter,  it  should  be  remarked 
that  Elie  de  Kalb,  the  general's  youngest  son,  was  at  that  time 
abroad  as  a  penniless  refugee,  the  estates  of  the  family  having  been 
confiscated  by  the  Convention.  He  omits  the  u  de  "  in  hi*  own  name 
as  well  as  in  that  of  his  relative.  The  certificate  to  \\  hich  he  alludes 
in  an  attestation  of  the  authorities  at  Bayreuth,  that  General  John 
Kalb  was  born  at  Huettendorf,  and  therefore  the  subject  of  a  Gtr- 
man  state,  and  that  consequently  his  sons,  the  oldest  of  whom  expired 
on  the  guillotine  in  October,  1793,  could  not  be  regarded  as  French- 

*  The  German  word  "  Pfnigner  "  is  a  Franconian  provincialism,  mean- 
ing a  green-grocer,  or  a  trader  who  deals  in  Sour,  peas,  beans,  and  Bucb 
articles. 


APPENDIX.  281 

men.  This  document,  subsequently  endorsed  by  the  Prussian  Am- 
bassador at  Paris,  is  also  referred  to  more  than  once  in  the  French 
sources  of  information. 

3.   ELIJAH   KALB  TO   ME.   SIEBENKAESS,    HUCKSTER  AT  NUREMBERG. 

BASLB,  October  18, 1793. 

MY  DEAREST  COUSIN  :  I  have  received  your  affectionate  letter 
of  the  12th  of  this  month,  and  am  really  very  sensible  of  the  friend- 
ship and  interest  you  take  in  my  painful  and  unfortunate  lot.  The 
certificates  I  have  received  and  forwarded  to  Paris,  but  have  not  any 
answer.  This  silence  on  the  part  of  my  agent  is  not  at  all  surprising, 
because  all  the  letters  sent  out  of  France  are  opened,  and  if  the 
slightest  suspicion  were  entertained  that  he  was  writing  to  a  refugee, 
it  would  cost  him  his  head.  To  be  sure  I  ought  not  to  be  considered 
a  refugee,  nor  am  I  such,  but  in  such  a  country  and  at  such  a  time, 
when  there  is  no  order,  no  law,  and  no  religion,  innocence  will 
always  be  in  the  wrong,  until  the  Highest  shall  pronounce  the  rights 
that  belong  to  us  in  this  world,  or  until  He  shall  put  an  end  to  war 
and  revolution.  To  all  appearances  we  shall  soon  have  peace.  .  .  . 
I  have  found  true  kindred  and  friends,  who  had  never  known  me,  and 
who  yet  have  shown  me  so  much  friendship.  But  be  assured,  also, 
that  I  shall  never  forget  it,  and  that  I  am  impatiently  waiting  for 
the  time  when  I  shall  be  able  to  show  you  my  gratitude  in  a  better 
way. 

I  wish  I  could  send  you  the  amount  disbursed  for  me ;  but  at  this 
moment  it  is  impossible,  because  I  have  not  had  any  thing  sent  to  me 
from  home  1'or  a  long  time.  .  .  Pardon  me  my  bad  pronunciation 
and  wriiing.  Honor  me  furthermore  with  yuur  kind  remembrance, 
and  believe  me  that  I  fully  appreciate  it,  My  dearest  cousin  and 
friend,  Your  most  sincere,  most  obedient  friend  and  servant, 

ELIJAH  KALB. 

4.   LUKE  QEYMUELLER  (THE  GENERAL'S  SON-IN-LAW)  TO  JOHN  GEORGE 

KALB. 

BASLE,  February  20, 1795. 

MY  MOST  WORTHY  AND  DEAR  COUSIN  :  It  was  not  without  the 
greatest  sensibility  that  we  received  the  mournful  news  of  the  de- 
cease of  our  dear  and  worthy  cousin  at  Huettendorf.  My  brother-in- 
law,  my  wife  and  myself,  assure  you  for  ever  of  our  friendship,  and  beg 


282  APPENDIX. 

yon,  my  dear  cousin,  to  kiss  your  beloved  wife  and  children  heartily. 
My  brotlier-in-law  is  much  surprised  to  find  that  yon  have  not 
received  one  of  the  last  three  letters  he  wrote  you.  You  cannot 
conceive  how  much  pain  it  gives  my  brother-in-law  that  you  should 
have  had  the  thought  that  he  has  forgotten  you.  He  is  far  from 
having  any  snch  thoughts,  and  our  dear  cousin  is  certainly  convinced 
of  it.  He  will  never  forget  the  friendship  you  have  extended  to  him, 
and  still  extend  to  him.  Should  he  ever  recover  his  property,  it  will 
be  his  first  care  to  repay  you,  my  dear  friend,  the  money  so  kindly 
disbursed  for  him,  with  all  possible  gratitude.  My  wife  and  I  also 
deeply  feel  what  you  have  done  for  him,  and  beg  for  the  continuance 
of  your  tenderness.  We  esteem  ourselves  fortunate  in  having  such  a 
kinsman  ;  it  will  be  a  real  pleasure  to  hear  often  from  you  and  your 
beloved  family.  .  .  My  most  worthy  cousin, 

Your  most  obedient  and  most  devoted  cousin  and  friend, 

GEYMUEI.LER. 

5.  ELIJAH  KALB  TO  JOHN  GEORGE  KALB,  8TADLING,  NEAB  NUREMBERG. 

BASLE,  September  20, 1797. 

MY  DEAREST  COUSIN  :  With  tenrfnl  eyes  I  take  the  pen  to  inform 
you  of  my  hard,  snd  fate.  But  yon  are  probably  already  aware,  that 
another  new  empollune  has  taken  place  at  Paris,  and  the  main  pur- 
pose is  not  to  return  anything  to  any  one  whose  name  is  on  the  list 
of  refugee-!,  whether  it  came  there  rightfully  or  wrongfully.  I  have 
had  the  honor  of  writing  to  you  often,  and  have  received  no  more 
answers.  My  dearest  cousin,  who  always  wrote  me  such  affectionate 
letters  of  consolation,  can  he  abandon  me  entirely,  and  no  longer 
consider  me  his  faithful  friend  and  cousin?  Oh  no!  the  thought 
would  be  too  dreadful.  Honor  me  with  a  speedy  reply,  and  be 
assured  of  my  friendship  and  cousinly  affection,  with  which  I  shall 
remain  through  life,  Your  most  devoted  cousin  and  friend, 

ELIJAH  KALB. 

6.  LUKE  GEYMTJELLEB  TO  JOHN  GEORGE  KALB. 

PABIS,  March  2,  1799. 

MOST  HONORED  COUSIN:  You  are  acquainted  with  the  unfortunate 

plight  of  your  cousin  Elijnh,  which  is  really  deplorable,  so  long  as  his 

case  cannot  be  passed  upon.    To  have  his  matters  arranged  he  must 

have  a  voucher  to  prove  that  his  father  was  a  citizen  in  Htiottendor^ 

11* 


APPENDIX.  283 

County  Bayreuth,  and  was  regarded  as  a  citizen  to  the  day  of  h;s 
death,  as  well  as  his  children,  that  he  was  born  there,  the  date  of  his 
birth,  and  the  name  and  baptismal  names  of  his  parents ;  this  must 
not  be  omitted  by  any  means.  This  certificate  of  citizenship  must 
also  be  authenticated  by  the  minister  at  the  Franconian  court.  You 
see,  my  dear  cousin,  how  much  we  need  your  assistance. 

7.    ELIJAH  KALB   TO   JOHN   GEORGE   KALB,  8TADLHJG. 

BASLE,  April  18,  1799. 

DEAREST  COUSIN  :  You  cannot  imagine  how  dreadful  it  is  for  us 
to  receive  no  answers  from  you  to  several  letters.  The  writings 
which  have  cost  you  so  much  trouble  and  expense,  are  at  Paris, 
under  seal,  as  you  know.  Baron  Hardenberg,  the  Prussian  ambas- 
sador here,  is  willing  to  help  me  if  I  can  thow  him  in  black  and 
white  that  my  sainted  father  was  a  Prussian,  and  to  prove  this  he 
demands  a  certificate  of  baptism  from  the  place  where  my  father 
was  born.  Should  it  take  more  than  a  fortnight  to  send  me  the 
certificate  of  baptism,  please  have  the  goodness  to  give  me  the  name 
of  the  village  where  he  was  born,  but  send  the  certificate  on  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  be  so  kind  as  to  let  me  know  what  my  s  tinted  grand- 
father was,  and  where  he  lived.  We  recommend  ourselves  to  the 
friendship  of  you  and  yours,  and  with  much  love  to  all  our  relations, 
etc.,  etc. 

II. 

1.    MAJOR   WTJRMSER  (REGIMENT   ALSAOE)   TO  KALB. 

TOUT.,  Jitin  8,  1751. 

Je  puis  vous  repondre  avec  surete  que  le  regiment  a  toujours  eu 
coutume  de  fai re  passer  par  les  verges  les  filles  de  manvaise  vie  et 
autres  qui  etaient  dans  le  cas  de  le  m6riter.  Le  regiment  ne  c'est 
jamais  oppose  de  prendre  les  verges,  quand  il  est  arrive'  de  fairo 
passer  une  fil'.epar  toute  la  parade  d'une  garnison.  Les  caporaux  et 
les  grenadiers  sont  seuls  dispenses  de  cette  besogne. 

2.    MAJOR  DE   HEIFTER   TO   KALB. 

COLMAE,  le  8  Jvin,  1751. 

Le  regiment  ne  passe  jamais  aucune  fille  par  les  verges.  Si  le  cas 
s'en  pr6sente,  notre  pr6vot  les  fait  prome"ner  a  la  parade  pendant  une 


284  APPENDIX. 

heure,  ou  bien  il  les  fait  mettre  sur  un  cheval  de  bois,  et  si  le  fait  est 
plus  grave,  il  lea  fait  fouetterpar  la  main  du  bourreau. 

3.    MA.JOE   LESLIE   TO   KALB. 

MACBKUOE,  le  13  Juin. 

Quand  nous  trouvons  des  filles  dans  les  casernes,  le  regiment  les 
fait  passer  par  les  verges.  Mais  dans  aucun  cas  les  grenadiers  no 
passent  personne  par  les  verges. 

4.    BARON   DE   VOLZ   TO   KALB. 

CAHBRAT,  le  12  Juin,  1751. 

"  Pour  rfipondre,  Monsieur,  a  celle  que  vous  m'avez  fait  1'lionneur 
de  m'ecrire  le  5  de  ce  mois,  1'iisage  est  dans  notre  regiment,  de  faire 
passer  les  putains  seulement  dans  les  cas  ci-enonces.  Si  des  filles 
sont  prises  dans  les  chambr6es  des  soldats  du  corps  ou  par  des  pa- 
trouilles  que  le  corps  aurait  fait  expres  pour  cela,  le  Regiment  tburnit 
seul  le  detacliement  pour  passer  ces  filles  par  les  verges.  Mais  si 
elles  sont  prises  par  des  detachements  ordonnes  par  1'Etat  major  de 
la  place  ou  par  des  soldats  de  garde  ailleurs  que  dans  des  chambre'es 
des  soldats,  quoique  le  detachement  ne  soit  que  d'un  corps,  les  dites 
filles  doivent  £tre  pass6es  par  les  troupes  qui  composent  la  garde, 
excepte  la  cavalerie  et  les  grenadiers  qui  se  retirent  quatre  pas  en 
arriere  des  rangs  et  ne  prennent  pas  des  verge*.  Les  filles  prises 
dans  les  chambrees  de  tel  corps  que  ce  soit,  c'est  a  ce  corps  a  fournir 
eenl  le  detachement  pour  les  fouetter  et  les  autres  ne  doivent  pas  s'en 
mfiler.  Si  elles  sont  prises  dans  les  cbambrees  des  grenadiers  c'est 
aux  grenadiers  seuls  a  les  fonerter.  N'etant  pas  d'usage  qu'ils  fouet- 
tent  les  filles  prises  dans  les  chambrees  des  fusiliers,  les  fusiliers  ne 
doivent  pas  6tre  les  correcteurs  des  leurs;  si  le  cas  arrivait,  comme 
il  pourrait  se  trouver  de  lamauvai^e  vo!ont6  dans  les  grenadiers,  cela 
merite  d'etre  execut6  avec  bien  d'attention  ponr  ne  pas  tomber 
dans  le  cas  ou  1'obeissance  des  grenadiers  occasionnerait  peut-etre 
quelque  conseil  de  guerre  comme  cela  est  arriv6  a  Nancy  il  y  a  2  ou 
3  ana  dont  il  y  a  eu  trois  grenadiers  de  pendus  pour  pareil  cas. 

Ain-i  done  toutes  fi  les  prises  partout  ailleurs  que  dans  des  cbam- 
brees des  soldats  par  des  patrouilles  on  par  des  detachements  ordonnes 
par  1'etat  major,  doivent  Stre  fouettees  par  les  troupes  de  la  garnison 
qui  composent  la  garde,  excepte  comme  je  1'ai  dit,  la  cavalerie  et  lea 
grenadiers. 


APPENDIX.  285 

Si  c'est  une  patrouille  qne  qnelqu'un  corps  fait,  soit  pour  veiller 
au  dehors  que  les  soldats  ne  s'6cartent  pas  au  dela  des  limites  ou  pour 
6viter  la  desertion,  si  ces  dites  patrouilles  n'unt  pas  UQ  ordre  par  6crit 
de  Petal  major  d'arreter  les  filles,  ce  sera  a  ce  corps  seul,  dont  la 
patrouille  sera,  a  punir  les  dites  filles  avec  les  soldats,  qu'ils  les  aient 
trouv6es  y  ayant  apparence  sans  cet  ordre  par  6crit  que  la  dite  pa 
trouille  est  pour  la  discipline  de  leur  corps. 

Si  de  ces  filles  sont  prises  dans  des  chambr6es  de  la  cavalerie  c'est 
a  la  cavalerie  a  les  punir  ou  a  1'etat-major  d'ordonner  leur  chatiment 
sans  que  1'infanterie  de  la  garnison  doive  en  ancune  facon  etre  1'instru- 
ment  de  leur  correction. 

Voila  ce  qui  se  pratique  dans  mon  regiment  et  selon  mon  avis, 
c'est  dont  on  ne  doit  pas  s'ecarter,  etc.,  etc. 


III. 

GENEBAL  OLERKE  TO  WILLIAM  COUNT  LIPPE. 

PARIS,  the  \1th  of  February,  1765. 

SIR:  I  hope  that  your  Highness  found  your  affairs  at  home  and 
your  Watercastle  *  going  on  to  your  tnind.  I  have  been  here  for  these 
three  months,  and  I  intend  to  return  soon  to  London.  The  opposition 
is  not  considerable.  Though  there  was  a  great  division  upon  the 
general  warrants  it  proceeded  from  way  of  thinking  more  than  per- 
sonality, which  does  them  honor.  Lord  Melburae  was  married  two 
weeks  ago  to  Lady  Sophia  Oarteret,  daughter  of  Lord  Carteret,  whom 
you  knew  in  the  Dettingen  campaign  as  Secretary  of  State. 

Mr.  de  Kalb  will  deliver  this  letter  to  your  Highness.  He  is  a 
German  and  a  Protestant.  He  served  the  last  war  as  deputy  quar- 
termaster under  Marshal  Broglie,  who  has  confidence  in  him  and 
esteems  him  very  much  as  a  good  officer;  but  he  has  it  not  in  hia 
power  at  present  to  serve  him  as  he  deserves.  He  appears  to  me  to 
be  a  sensible  military  man.  Money  is  not  his  object,  and  he  has  for- 
tune sufficient  to  live  at  his  ease.  His  ambition  is  to  be  made  a  gen- 
eral officer  in  Portugal,  and  Marshal  Broglie  by  that  means  may  have 
it  in  his  power  to  get  him  the  same  rank  in  France  in  another  war. 

I  find  here  that  Count  d'Oyeras  had  made  proposals  to  Closen, 

•Count  William  was  then  erecting  the  fortress  of  Wilhelmstein  in  the 
lake  called  the  "  Steinhuder  Meer." 


286  APPENDIX, 

who  did  not  accept  of  them  and  who  died  a  little  afterward.  I  have 
rereived  here  great  civilities  both  from  Marshal  Broglie  and  the 
Court,  and  should  be  glad  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  show  my  sensi- 
bility to  their  kindness  and  good  opinions  of  me.  Monsieur  de  Kalb 
having  no  business  nt  present  thinks  it  no  trouble  at  any  rate  of  going 
to  Germany  and  paying  his  respects  to  your  Highness ;  he  can  inform 
you  of  many  thing*  as  to  the  French  part  in  the  German  war.  I  hope 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  myself  this  year  in  Germany.  I 
have  a  great  desire  to  pay  my  respects  to  you  in  your  own  domin- 
ions. I  am  with  the  greatest  respect  your  Highness's  most  obedient 

servant. 

E.  GLEBKE. 

IV. 

1.    PHfcciS  DBS  OBJET8  DE  LA  COMMISSION  DE  M.  DE  KALB.      ENVOYS 
A  M.  LE  DUO  DE  CHOISEUL  LE  6  AOtlT,  1768. 

M.  le  Due  de  Choiseul  m'ayant  charg6  de  savoir  les  dispositions 
des  habitans  des  colonies  de  1'Ame'rique  septentrionale  a  1'egard  de 
Objet  de  ma  la  grande  Bretngne  et  dans  le  cas  que  les  Provinces  en 
Commission.  vinssent  a  une  rupture  ouverte  avec  leur  me'tropole 
quels  seraient  leurs  moyens  de  faire  la  guerre  ou  de  defendre  leur 
Iibert6. 

Voici  done  un  abrege  de  mes  observations  pans  enlrer  ici  duns 
toutes  celles  que  j'ai  faites  sur  le  pays  dans  un  plus  grand  d6tail  etqui 
ne  sont  pas  relatives  anx  objets  de  ma  commission. 

L'acte  du  papier  timbre  qu'on  a  voulu  introduire  dans  ces  colo- 
nies en  1765  a  revoke1  t«-us  les  esprits  et  caus6  des  emeutes  qui  n'ont 
cei?s6  qu'avec  la  revocation  de  1'acte  et  le  renvoy  de 

Bujet  de  mocon- 

tentiment     des   ces  p.ipiers  que  le  Parlement  y  avait  fait  passer.    La 

colonies.  ...  •        •    /*   «i      i          •  1/1  » 

Iregate  qui  en  etait  cliargee  en  a  debarque  partie  au 
fort  de  la  Nouvelle  York  comme  la  chose  n'a  pu  6tre  secrete.  Le 
peuple  de  la  ville  s'est  assemble  tumultueusement,  a  bri  6  les  coro- 
nets et  tout  ce  qni  s'est.  trouve  hors  de  l'6nceinte  du  fort  ap- 
partenant  an  Lieutenant  Gouverneur  qui  fut  oblige  de  renvoyer  a 
bord  du  vaisseau  tous  les  diis  papiurs  pour  retablir  la  communica- 
tion du  fort  ou  il  se  trouvait  renferm6  avcc  la  ville.  La  fr&gntii  a 
6t6  observed  et  comme  bJ<>qn6e  jour  et  nuit  par  le  peuple  pendant 
plusieurs  mois  pour  se  rendre  certain  qu'on  ne  remet  trait  plus  de  ces 
papiers  a  terre  jusqu'a  ce  que  1'aote  ait  et6  revoque  et  la  frigate 
rapellee  avec  toute  sa  charge. 


APPENDIX.  28*7 

L'acte  de  1765  enjoignait  a  toutes  les  Provinces  de  fournir  aux 
troupes  Britanniques  le  logeraent,  le  chauflage,  le  sel,  la  boisson  etc. 
occassionna  encore  un  mecontentement  general,  cependant  les  Colo- 
nies 1'ont  accorde  a  quelques  exceptions  et  changenients  pres. 

Enfin  un  nouvel  impot  en  1Y67  sur  le  papier,  les  glaces  et  toutea 
sortes  de  verres  a  acheve  d'indisposer  ces  peuples  contre  le  Parlement 
et  le  Ministere  leur  a  fait  ouvrir  les  yeux  sur  leur  situation  et  sur  la 
possibility  de  se  passer  de  touted  les  marchandises  d'Europeen  encou- 
rageant  les  talens  et  leurs  propres  manufactures. 

Les  marcliands  de  Boston  animes  d'un  esprit  patri* »tique  pour  le 

bien  du  public  et  aux  <16pens  de  leur  propre  inte>et  se  sont  engages 

par  ecrit   a  ne   plus  rien  tirer   d'Angleterre  que   ce 

Arrangements  * 

d'economie  jiria   dernier  acte   ne   soit  revoque.      Et  sur  leurs  lettrea 

par  les  Colonies.       ...  ,         .  ,  ,         ... 

circulaires  aux  negociants  de  toutes  les  villes  commer- 
cantes  des  autres  Colonies,  la  mgme  resolution  a  et6  prise  dans  tout 
le  continent  unanimement,  resolution  qui  tend  neceseairement  au 
detriment  du  commerce  et  des  manufactures  d'Angltterre  et  a  exciter 
des  troubles  parmi  les  ouvriers  des  trois  royaumes. 

II  n'y  a  pas  de  doute  que  le  pays  ne  se  rende  independant  pnr  la 
suite  lorsque  le  nombre  de  ses  habitans  excedera  celui  de  li  grande 

Bretagne,  et  il  y  march e  a  grands  pas  par  la  population 
ya.vs  diviendra  prodigieuse  jointe  aux  nouveaux  Colons  qui  ne  disC'-n- 

tinuent  d'y  arriver  de  tons  les  pnys  de  1'Europe.  Get 
Evenement  peut  n'etre  pas  eloign6.  Le  gouvernement  m@me  le 
pr6cipit6ra  s'il  continue  par  des  actes  de  riguenr,  et  les  taxes  illegales 
a  gt-ner  le  commerce  ot  les  manufactures  des  colonies  (que  mal  a 
propos  ou  la  es  a  laisse  etablir,  mais  qu'il  n'est  plus  temps  d'arreter 
sans  exciter  des  murmures)  surtout  si  ces  proc£d6s  les  forcent  une 
fois  pour  toutes  a  s'affranchir  de  1'acte  de  navigation  (qniestle  seul 
acte  d'autorite  que  la  m6tropole  puisse  exercer  sur  les  Colonies, 
auqud  seul  elles  aient  consent!  et  que  les  chartres  pour  leur  eta- 
blissement  exigent  d'elles)  et  de  la  defense  qui  subsiste  de  se  con- 
oerter  entre  elles  d'une  province  a  1'autre  et  tontes  ensemble  sur 
leurs  int6rets  communs  et  qu'elles  s'avisent  de  prendre  ouvertement 
le  ]>arti  d'uue  confederation  generate  contre  les  mesures  injustes  du 
ministere. 

Ce  pays  s'affrancbira  non  seulement  de  toute  d6pendance  de  la 
conrronne  d'Angleterre  aveo  le  teuips.  mais  il  euvabira  encore  toutes 
\f?  possessions  que  Ics  pui-sances  Europeeunes  ont  en  Am6rique  taut 
isles  que  terre  ferme. 


288  APPENDIX. 

II  y  a  toot  lieu  de  croire  que  la  conformit6  des  lois,  d'usage,  de 
langage  et  de  religion  empSchera  ces  colonies  (du  moins  dans  le  mo- 
Cos  colonies  n1-  mens  present  malgr6  leurs  sujets  de  plaintes)  d'agir 
nucu^ter&BcourB  contre  leur  m£tropole  autrement  que  par  la  privation 
6tranger.  (je8  marchandises  anglaises,  par  1'encouragement  de 

lenrs  propres  manufactures  et  1'etablisseraent  de  nouvelles  a  moins 
qu'ou  ne  lea  force  a  se  defendre  :  Et  dans  ce  cas  la  memo  elles  n'ac- 
cepteraient  aucun  secours  etranger  qui  ne  pourrait  que  leur  paraitre 
Biispect  et  alarmer  leur  Iibert6  surtout  de  lu  part  de  la  France  elles  se 
soumettraient  plutot  au  parlement  d'Angleterre  pour  un  temps. 
D'ailleurs  ces  provinces  etant  d'accord  entre-elles  leurs  propres  forces 
suffiraient  a  leur  defense  mutuelle  tine  armee  anglaise  telle  forte 
qu'elle  puisse  Stre  ne  pourrait  que  ravager  on  piller  quelques  villes 
maritimes  ou  tout  au  plus  quelques  provinces,  mais  jamais  les  soumet- 
tre  et  les  contenir.  L'etendue  seule  sans  effort  des  habitans  pour  s'y 
opposer  est  un  obstacle  invincible  a  un  pareil  dessein.  Et  si  une 
independance  complete  est  la  fin  des  troubles  presentes  entre  deux 
parties  de  la  nation  Britannique,  le  ministere  de  la  metropole  ne 
pent  1'attribuer  qu'i  les  injustices  reiterees,  et  la  nation  entiore  sensible 
enfin  aux  outrages  faites  a  des  freres  et  des  concitoyens  et  de  ce  qu'elle 
aurait  a  craindre  pour  son  propre  compte  ne  pourrait  s'en  prendre  qu'a 
ses  representants  en  parlement  qui  out  bassement  vendu  a  la  cour  la 
Iibert6  et  le  droit  du  peuple. 

Je  ne  saurais  done  me  persuader  que  le  Gouvernement  anglais  en- 
tende  assez  peu  les  v6ritables  int6rets  pour  en  venir  jamais  a  des  ex- 
tremites  avec  ces  cnlonies,  je  crois  au  contraire  que  toutes  les  discus- 
sions se  termineront  a  1'entiere  satisfaction  de  ces  dernieres. 

Mes  raisons  sont  que  la  plus  saine  partie  de  la  nation  Anglaise  et 
le  roi  memo  doivent  s'opposer  aux  entreprises  des  miuistres  et  aux 
ine.sures  poursuivies  jusqu'ici  contre  les  colonies. 

La  nation  le  doit. 

1°  pnrceque  les  imp6ts  mis  sur  les  Americains  sont  injustes  et  ty- 
ranniqnes  et  qn'ils  sont  absorbes  par  le  grand  nombre  d'employes 
pour  la  perception  qui  sont  autant  de  pensionnaires  du  ininktere  ot 
qu'il  n'en  resulte  aucun  bien  pour  les  tn»isRc>yaumes  soit  pour  le  paic- 
ment  des  dettes  nationales,  soit  pourle  ?oulagement  des  sujets, 

2"  parceque  le  Benefice  que  1'administration  recevait  jusqu'ici  des 
productions  de  I'Amerique  et  de  ce  qu'on  leur  donnait  en  ecbange  en 
e'en  tenant  aux  termes  de  Tacte  de  navigation  est  plus  avantageux  d 
la  metropole  que  tous  les  impots  qu'on  pourraient  y  substituer, 


APPENDIX.  289 

3°  parceque  la  perte  deviendrait  immense,  pour  les  negociants,  les 
manufactures  efc  pour  toute  la  Grande  Bretagne  en  general,  si  les  colo- 
nies 6taient  forcees  a  s'affranchir  de  1'obligation  du  dit  acte  de  navi- 
gation a  porter  par  consequent  leurs  productions  aux  etrangers  directe- 
ment  et  a  ouvrir  leurs  ports  a  toutes  les  nations, 

4°  parceque  si  les  colonies  succombaient  sous  les  forces  que  les 
trois  Royaumes  prgteraient  au  ministere,  les  Anglais  n'auraienetils  pas 
a  craindre  d'etre  subjugues  a  leur  tour  pr.r  les  forces  Americaines  ou 
meme  par  des  forces  absolument  6trange"res  a  leur  constitution. 

Le  Roi  de  son  cot6  devrait  s'opposer  aux  mesures  de  ses  ministres. 

1°  que  souffrant  que  le  parlement  taxe  les  Am6ricains  arbitraire- 
ment  lui  ote  la  plus  belle  prerogative  de  sa  courronne  en  demandant 
4  chacune  de  ces  colonies  des  dons  gratuits  dans  les  terns  difficiles  ou 
suivant  ses  besoins,  en  observant  avec  eiles  les  formes  usitees  au  par- 
lement pour  les  subsides,  jamais  les  Am6ricains  ne  s'etaient  refuses  & 
ces  demandes  sons  les  regnes  precedents  tant  qu'on  les  a  laisse  les  mai- 
tres  de  la  repartition ;  aller  au  contraire,  est  6tablir  le  pouvoir  arbi- 
traire  et  abolir  la  constitution  Britannique. 

Elles  n'ont  point  de  marine  r6g!6e  mais  elles  ont  eu  pendant  la 
guerre  derniere  un  grand  notnbre  d'armateurs.  La  facillite  de  con- 
Marine,  Arm6e,  struire  et  d'equiper  des  vaisseaux  les  mettrait  bieutot  en 
etat  d'avoir  des  flottes,  leurs  nombreux  bailments  mar- 
cliands  y  pouvant  fournir  les  matelots  necessaires.  Elles  n'ont  point 
d'arsenaux  ni  de  munitions  en  magasins  publics,  mais  il  se  trouve  dans 
le  pays  une  grande  quantite  de  canons  de  tous  caiibres  propre  a  servir, 
appartenant  aux  particuliers  ou  aux  provinces,  sans  compterle  g.-and 
nombre  qu'il  y  en  a  dans  les  forts  de  1'inteYieur  du  pays  et  le  long  de  la 
mer  en  batterie  sur  les  ports,  rivieres  et  anses  et  que  les  troupes  du  Roi 
ne  sauraient  empecher  d'etre  pris  par  les  habitans  au  premier  signal  de 
revolte.  II  y  a  aussi  beaucoup  de  poudre  chez  les  coMimer^ans  par- 
cequ'il  s'en  fait  un  gros  trafic  avec  les  sauvages.  Les  habitans  sont 
abondamment  pourvus  d'armes.  L'on  n'y  manque  d'aillenrs  ni  de  mines 
de  toutes  sortes  de  mfitaux  ni  d'ouvriers  excellents  pour  les  mettre  en 
ceuvre  ainsi  que  pour  faire  du  salpe'tre  de  tres  bonne  qualit6  et  toutes 

sortes  d'armes  offensives  et  defensives.     Le  nombre  des 
Vivres. 

rivieres  navigrables  a  une  grande  distance  de  leurs  em- 
bouchures et  1'abondance  de  provision  de  toutes  especes  donnerait  de 
la  facilite  d'en  assembler  en  peu  de  temps  et  dans  toutes  les  parties 
ou.  le  besoin  1'exigerait  pour  faire  subsister  des  troupes  en  corps 
d'armSe. 

13 


290  APPENDIX. 

Dans  toutes  les  provinces  (celle  de  Pensylvanie  scale  excepte'e  et 
qui  cepend.int  ferait  je  crois  coraine  les  autres  si  Ieurslibert6s  dtaienten 
Troupus  du  danger)  les  hommes  depuis  1'age  de  seize  jusqu'a  cin- 
pa>8  ou  miiicea.  quante  ans,  maries  ou  non,  sont  oblig6s  de  servir  pour 
la  defense  de  leur  colonie.  Us  sont  enr6giment6s  par  comt6s,  precinct 
ou  Election  avec  lenrs  officiers  dont  la  plupart  ont  servis  et  ces  r6gi- 
ments  sont  plus  ou  moins  forts ;  c'6tait  destitution  de  tout  temps 
parcequ'il  6tait  ndcessaire  dans  1'etablissement  que  les  hommes  mari6s 
aidassent  i  deTendre  leurs  foyers.  Mais  aujourd'hui  on  compte  que 
dans  les  provinces  depuis  la  nouvelle  Eoosee  jnsqucs  et  compris  la 
Caroline  meridionnle  seulement,  il  y  a  plus  de  deux  cent  mille  jeunes 
gens  en  6t  it  de  porter  les  armes,  sans  priver  les  terres  des  cultiva- 
teurs  n6ces<aires. 

Les  forts  ou  places  de  guerre  dans  Tint^rieur  dn  pays  ou  limitro- 
phes  aux  sauvages  ne  m6ritent  guene  le  norn  de  fortification",  si  Ton  en 
v  _»:«  excepte  un  petit  nombre  entre  le  Canada  et  l.-t  Nouvelle 

France  d'une  part  etles  anciennes  pos-essions  anglaises 
de  1'amre,  encore  sont  elles  en  mauvais  6tat  et  tres  mal  tenues;  celled 
de  long  de  la  mer  comme  Halifax,  Boston,  New  York  etc.  situ6es  snr 
la  mer  me"me  ou  dans  des  iles  et  bayes  sont  de  pen  de  consequence  et 
mal  entretenues.  Les  batteries  construites  et  fortifiers  ci-devant  aux 
embouchures  des  rivieres  et  an-»es  ne  va'ent  pas  la  peine  d'en  parler 
dans  l^taf  ou  elles  sont  actuellement.  La  raison  de  cette  n6glience  est 
que  les  peuplesn'ont  guere  plus  a  redonter  les  incursions  des  sauvages 
qui  d6perissent  et  diminuent  d  vue  d'ceil.  L'on  croit  la  d^pense  de 
Tentretient  des  forts  intdrieurs  inutile,  d'autant  plus  que  les  frontieres 
6tant  recnl^es  de  temps  en  t  mps  il  faudrait  souvent  en  constrtiire  de 
nonvenux  et  1'Angleterre  compte  plus  sur  ses forces  navales  et  sur  les 
colonies  m8mes  que  snr  les  places  de  guerre  pour  empScher  les  puis- 
sances d'Europe  de  faire  des  descentes  sur  les  c6tes.  II  est  m8me  plus 
qae  probable  que  si  la  conr  voulait  faire  construire  ou  r6parer  des 
places  de  guerre  le  peupledes  colonies  s'y  oppos.Tait  dans  les  circon- 
stnnces  pr6sentes.  Le  gouvernement  loin  d'y  angmenter  les  places  a 
meme  fait  rayer  les  ouvrages  de  Louisbourg;  celles  du  Canada,  les 
meilleures  du  nord  de  1'Aineriqtie,  sont  assoz  mal  entretenues  ainsi  que 
lefort  Pitt  sur  le  hiut  Ohio  ci-devant  appe!6  le  fort  Dnquesne. 

Le  Gouvernement  du  pays  est  analogue  a  ce'ui  d'Angleterre ;  il  est 

compose1  dans  chaque  province  d'un  Gouverneur,  d'un  conseil  du  Roi 

Forme  de  gon-   et  d'une  assemblee  ou  chambre  basse  ce  qui  reprdsente  le 

Roi,  la  cliambre  des  pairs  et  celle  des  communesdn  moina 


APPENDIX.  291 

leurs  fonctions  se  rapportent  &  celles  de  ces  trois  branches  de  legisla- 
ture. Le  Gouverneur  est  royal,  de  propri6teouelectif8uivantles  pro- 
vinces. Ceux  de  Pensylvanieetde  Maryland  sont  gouverneurs  de  pro 
priete,  ceux  de  Connecticut  et  de  Rhode-Island  sont  gouverneurs 
electifs  et  ceux  de  toutes  les  autres  provinces  sont  royaux;  plusieurs 
dependent  de  1'assemblee  pour  leur  traiteraent  (la  cour  a  exig6  mais 
ii:utilementde  la  province  de  Massachusetts-Bay  qu'ellefixe  ausien  dea 
apfiointenienta  et  c'est  en  partie  cause  des  troubles  pr6sents ;  Mr. 
Francis  Bernard,  Gouverneur  actuel,  ayant  constamment  prevenu 
1 'esprit  des  rninistres  centre  sa  province  aussi  finira-t-il  surement  par 
etre  revoque).  Les  conseils  tiennent  leurs  commissions  du  bon  plaisir 
du  Roi,  et  les  membres  de  1'assemblee  sont  elus  par  les  villes,  corates 
et  corporations,  pour  un,  trois,  cinq  ou  sept  ans  suivant  les  usages  par- 
ticuliers  des  provinces.  C'est  cette  assemblee  qui  a  seule  le  droit  de 
taxer  le  peuple,  lever  des  imp6ts,  accorder  des  graces  pecuniaires  et  les 
subsides.  Les  lois  se  proposent  aussi  par  cette  assemblee  seule,  mais 
elles  ont  besoin  de  I'approbation  du  conseil  et  de  I'attache  du  gou- 
verneur ;  le  me*rne  conoours  est  necessaire  pour  en  abroger  d'anciennes, 
chaque  province  a  droit  d'en  faire  pourvu  qu'elles  ne  soient  pas  con- 
traires  aux  lois  fondamentales  de  la  Grande  Bretagne.  Les  provinces 
sont  independantes  les  nnes  des  autres. 

Le  general  commandant  en  chef  des  troupes  du  continent  adroit 
de  convoquer  en  quelque  province  et  lieu  qu'il  lui  plaise  les  6tats 
generaux  du  pays  ou  deputes  de  toutes  les  colonies  et  de  presider  aux 
deliberations  s'il  vent  s'y  trouver.  Les  gouvernements  ontvoulu  lui 
disputer  la  preseance  chacun  dans  son  propre  gouvernement ;  mais  le 
Roi  a  decide  la  chose  contre  eux. 

Toutes  les  colonies  sont  endettSes  par  les  efforts  qu'elles  ont  fait 
pendant  la  derniere  guerre,  d'assister  en  troupe.*,  vaisseaux,  vivres  et 
argent  leur  metropole,  et  pour  avoir  trop  depens6  en 
embellissement  de  leurs  villes  en  edifices  pnbliques  de 
toutes  especes  6tablissements  de  colleges  et  academies,  en  pensions 
accordees  aux  savants  et  artistes  qu'on  y  a  attires  de  loutes  parts,  en 
choses  utiles  pour  la  commodity  du  commerce  comme  quais,  marches 
etc.  et  a  ouvrir  des  communications  et  grands  chemins.  Les  taxes 
ordinaires  (quoiqu'augmentees  considerablement  en  comparaison  du 
pen  que  les  colonies  payaient  ci-devant)  ne  suffirent  plus  a  ces  depenses. 
II  a  fallu  avoir  recours  u  des  tmprunts  autorises  par  la  cour  ce  qui  a 
donue  lieu  au  papier  monnaie  qui  depuis  a  fait  beancoup  de  mal  au 
pays,  les  troubles  presents  y  ayant  mis  le  discredit.  Les  especes  sont 


292  APPENDIX. 

devenues  rares  et  ont  disparues.  La  guerre  en  ayant  beancoup  pro- 
cure, les  liabitans  se  sent  abandonnes  A  une  depense  proportionnee  et 
ont  tellement  augmente  les  cboses  de  luxe  qu'ils  tiraient  d'Angleterre 
qu'ils  ne  pourraient  plus  les  payer  qu'avec  quatorze  u  quinze  millions 
par  an  en  argent  cotnptant;  par  dela  l'6change  de  leur  productions 
pour  solder  la  balance  et  cette  diminution  d'especes  se  fait  eentir 
d'avantage  a  mesure  que  le  papier  monnaie  s'amortit  (la  cour  ne 
voulant  plus  permettre  de  nouvelles  Emissions.) 

II  y  a  des  negociants  et  autres  particuliers  puissamment  riches 
mais  les  tresors  publics  sont  6puises  et  les  revenus  des  provinces 
•tttefe. 

Toutes  les  pieces  d'or  et  d'argent  des  etats  souverains  de  1'Europe 
ont  cours  dans  ce  pays-ci  pour  leur  juste  valeur  ;  les  plus  communes 
sont  1'or  du  Portugal  et  1'argent  d'Espngne  il  n'y  en  a  presque  point 
d'Angleterre  si  1'on  excepte  les  pieces  de  cuivre. 

L'on  pretend  (et  la  chose  est  probable  par  la  raison  ci-devant  dite 
du  discredit  du  papier  monnaie)  qu'il  y  a  de  grosses  sommes  d'argent 
dans  le  pays,  que  les  possesseurs  retiennent  durant  ces  difficultes ;  tout 
cela  fait  qu'on  est  gen6  dans  le  commerce.  II  n'y  a  done  que  la  paix, 
l'6conomie  et  le  commerce  avec  les  isles  et  le  sud  de  1'Amerique  ou  en 
cas  de  rupture  avec  1'Angleterre  un  commerce  ouvert  avec  toutes  les 
nations  qui  puissent  rtndre  &  ce  pays,  1'opulence  et  1'aisance. 

Le  produit  de  ces  colonies  en  des  chevaux  des  bestinux  de  toutes 
especes  et  en  grand  nombre,  toutes  sortes  de  bles  en  abondance,  du 
houblon,  du  riz,  de  1'indigo,  da  coton,  de  la  cire,  resine,  goudron, 
tabac,  bois  de  construction,  lin  chanvre,  fer,  salpStre,  plomb,  cuivre, 
commes,  cuirs,  pelleteries,  castors,  baleines  etc.  La  peclie  est  par- 
tout  abondante,  soil  dans  la  mer,  soit  dans  les  rivieres.  Les  vian- 
des,  la  volaille  et  le  gibier  sont  excellents  et  varies.  Enfin  c'est  un 
pays  qui  produit  au  dela  de  ce  qui  est  necessaire  a  la  subsistance  des 
habitans,  et  1'on  n'y  eprouve  point  de  dieette  ni  d'annees  steriles. 

J'y  ai  etabli  des  correspondances  par  la  Hollan<le  et  par  Londre", 
afin  d'etre  informe  de  tout  ce  qni  y  arrivera  d'in- 

Oorreopon-  .    . 

dancee  6tabiie«.    teressant,  pour  pouvoir  en  rendre  compte  au  immstre. 
Je  suis  en  6tat  de  repondre  plus  en  detail  sur  tout  ce  qui  regarde 

ces  colonies. 

Sign£  DE  KALB. 

FAIT  i  FABU,  ce  6  Ao6t,  1768. 


APPENDIX.  293 


2.      KALB   TO    CHOI8EUL. 

PABIS,  le  16  Septembre,  1768. 

MONSEIGNETTK  :  J'ai  1'honneur  de  vous  adresser  les  nouvelles 
que  je  recois  de  1'AmeVique.  Si  j'ose  vous  communiquer  mon  idee 
particuliere  stir  cette  querelle,  je  pense  qne  malgre  les  depenses 
enormes  que  la  cour  d'Angleterre  fait  pour  forcer  ses  colonies  a  la 
sounii?sion  qu'elle  finira  par  ne  faire  aucun  acte  de  regneur  et  a  ac- 
corder  aux  colonies  ce  qu'ils  demandent  mon  opinion  est  fondee 
autant  sur  la  justice  de  leurs  pretentious  que  sur  les  plaintes  que  les 
marctiands  et  fabriquants  anglais  ne  manqueront  pas  de  porter  au 
nouveau  parlement  sur  la  decadence  de  leur  commerce  depuis  ces 
troubles,  d'autant  plus  que  tous  les  acts  de  parlement  qui  y  ont  donne 
lieu  n'etablissaient  des  impots  en  Amerique  que  pour  la  defense  du 
pays  (du  moins  c'etait  le  pretexte)  quoique  dans  le  fait  crest  pour  y* 
entretenir  nombre  de  pensionnaires  et  un  plu*  grand  nombre  da 
troupes  qu'il  n'est  necessaire,  enfin  pour  donner  moyen  aux  ministres 
de  distribuer  plus  de  graces  et  nullement  pour  le  soulagement  des  trois 
royanmes  ni  pour  contribuer  au  payement  des  dettes  nationales.  Si 
done  tous  ces  impots  ne  doivent  6tre  employes  au  soutien  des  colonies 
et  pour  leur  propre  defense,  pourquoi  ne  leur  permettait-on  pas  de  se 
taxer  elles  memes  1  pour  subvenir  a  ces  depenses  comme  cela  s'est 
pratique  par  le  passe. 

Mais  je  pens.-  au«si  que  quelques  natures  que  le  parlement  et  le 
ministere  puissent  prendre  a  present,  ils  ne  retublirout  point  cette 
branche  de  commerce  comme  elle  etait.  Le  coup  est  porte,  on  a 
appris  aux  colonies  a  etablir  des  manufactures  de  toutes  especes  et 
a  se  passer  de  leur  m6tropole  qu'on  emploie  actuellement  les  voies  de 
rigueur  ou  de  douceur  on  ne  saurait  les  forces  a  tirer  d'Earope  ce 
qu'ils  trouvent  chez  elles,  d'autant  mieux  qu'elles  trouvent  dans  les 
isles  et  dans  le  sud  de  1' Amerique  (sans  compter  leurs  autres  de- 
bonclie^}  un  debit  sur  de  leurs  pr«>duits  et  qne  les  richesses  de  ce 
commerce  leur  resteront  au  lieu  qu'elles  6taient  obligees  de  les  envoyer 
ci-devant  en  Angleterre  pour  solder  leurs  comptes. 

Je  reviens  toujours  a  dire,  Monseigneur,  que  ces  colonies  sont  trop 
utiles  a  la  Grande  Bretagne  pour  qu'elles  exigent  une  rupture  entiere 
de  la  part  de  leur  metropole  et  qn'elles  n'accepter.-iient  aucun  secours 
Stranger  etant  fort  en  etat  <le  se  maintenir  par  leurs  propres  forces 
seules,  j'ajouterai  meme  qu'il  ne  serait  pas  de  la  saine  politique  d'une 
puissance  quelconque  de  se  meler  a  cette  querelle  quaud  meme  elle 


294  APPENDIX. 

serait  requise  par  les  colonies  (ce  qui  n'est  pas  probable)  a  moins 
qu'il  n'y  ait  des  actes  d'hostilit6s  comtnis  entre  TAm^rique  et  la 
Grande  Hretagne  que  les  colonies  aient  publu-  leur  imlupendanco  en 
tout  point,  qu'elles  se  soieiit  unies  par  une  Confederation  gen£rale 
qu'e'les  aient  des  armies  sur  pied  qu'elles  invitent  par  une  resolution 
unanime  et  publiqne  toutes  les  nations  a  venir  commercer  dans  leurs 
ports  et  qu'elles  soient  en  6tat  de  proteger  ce  commerce  par  une 
marine  militaire  ce  qui  rendrait  impossible  tout  accommodemeut  entre 
les  deux  partis,  ce  n'est  qu'alors  qu'on  pourrait  faire  la  guerre  a  1'Angle- 
terre  avec  apparence  de  succeX  La  ddclarer  plutdt  serait  donner 
lieu  &  une  prompte  reconciliation  et  a  s'attirer  toutes  les  forces  de 
1'Angleterre  et  celles  de  leurs  colonies  sur  les  bras.  Je  vous  parle 
ainsi  franchement,  Monseigneur,  parceque  je  ne  voudrais  pas,  coinine 
j'ai  deja  eu  1'lionneur  de  vous  le  dire  qu'on  vous  trompat  ni  qu'on 
put  vous  persuader  que  le  moment  fut  favorable  pour  se  brouiller 
avec  nos  voisins. 

L'on  me  mande  de  Londres  que  1'amirul  Spry  doit  avoir  recu  or- 
dre  de  proteger  les  vaisseaux  anglais  dans  la  Mediteninnee  ct  d'em- 
pecher  qu'ils  ne  soient  visited  par  les  vai-seaux  francais  &  q-ioi  1'ou 
ajoute  que  si  1'amiral  suit  son  instruction  de  point  en  point  qu'il  est 
presque  impossible  qu'il  ne  BJ  commette  des  hostility's  entre  Jes  deux 
nations.  Oette  nouvelle  ne  m'est  pas  donn6e  pour  bien  positive  elle 
demande  confirmation. 

Je  s u is  etc. 

3.   KALB  TO  CHOISEUL. 

PARIS,  le  6  Novembrc,  1768. 

J'ai  1'honneur  de  vous  adresser  ci-joint  les  nouvelles  que  je  recois 
de  1'Ame'rique.  Elles  ne  peuvont  6tre  que  peu  interessantes  dans  un 
temps  ou  les  minis:  res  sont  di vises  et  que  le  parti  a  prendre  sur  la 
conduite  a  tenir  avec  les  colonies  parait  etre  remis  A  la  rentr6e  du 
parlement.  Je  suis  toujonrs  d'opinion  qu'on  n'emploiera  point  les 
voies  de  rigueur  surtout  lorsqu'on  verra  que  les  pr4paratifs  de  guerrn 
n'inspirent  pas  de  terreur  A  les  peuples.  II  est  bien  possible  aussi  que 
ces  mSmes  pr6paratifc  aieut  un  autre  objet.  Les  Anglais  ont  uno 
jalousie  extreme  de  l'6tat  flori-sant  des  isles  francaises  si  vous  leur 
faites  la  guerre,  leur  soiti  principal  se  portera  sur  cette  partie  et  s'ils 
ont  envie  de  voui  la  faire  eqxm^me^  jugez  Monseigneur,  dea  avan- 
tagea  que  leur  donnerait  I'aproxirnite  des  subsistances  et  de  leuig 
forces  daus  le  continent  de  I'AineYique  pour  leurs  premieres  ope>a- 


APPENDIX.  295 

tions.  Us  y  ont  actuellement  dix  nenf  bataillons  de  sept  cent  hotn- 
mes  chacun,  sans  compter  ce  qu'ils  ont  dans  leurs  isles  dont  j'ignore 
le  norabre  et  les  secours  qu'ils  tireraient  facileinent  de  leurs  colonies 
en  retablissant  leurs  privileges  et  exemptions  d'impots.  Je  dois  vuus 
avoir  marque  precedemment,  Monseigneur,  que  ces  memes  colonies 
ont  fourni  a  leurs  frais  25000  hommes  de  bonnes  troupes  pendant  la 
derniere  guerre  et  leurs  villes  maritirnes  un  grand  nombre  d'arma- 
teurs.  Je  ne  sais  au  juste  le  nombre  des  vaisseaux  de  guerre  employes 
dans  les  isles  Anglaises,  mais  je  suis  certain  de  treize  stationnes  sur 
les  forts  depuis  terre  Neuve  jusqu'aux  isles  Lucayes. 

Je  vous  supplie  d'etre  persuade  que  mes  reflexions  ne  sont  qne 
1'effet  de  mon  zele  pour  le  service  du  Roi. 

Je  suis  etc. 

4.    KALB  TO  CHOISEUI.. 

PARIS,  le  15  Novembre,  1768. 

MONSEIGNEUB:  J'ai  1'honneur  de  vous  envoyer  les  nouvelles  que 
je  recois  d'Amerique.  Je  n'y  ajoute  aucune  reflexion.  La  fermen- 
tation que  ces  ecrits  annoncent  fait  a«sez  voir  1' esprit  de  fermete  de 
ces  peuples  et  les  suites  facbeuses  que  cela  pourrait  avoir  pour  1'  Angle- 
terre  s'il  continuait  a  vouloir  les  souraettre  par  la  force  ce  que  je  ne 
saurais  me  persuader.  Je  suis  au  contraire  d'opinion  que  le  prochain 
parlement  employera  des  voies  de  conciliation ;  je  ne  doute  pas  non 
plus  que  le  Gouverneur  Bernard  quoiqu3  soutenu  jusqu'ici  par  le 
Ministere  ne  suit  rappele. 

Je  suis  etc. 


V. 

COUNT  BBOGLIE  TO  OOTTOT  ST.  GERMAIN. 

PAWS,  I*  13  Novembre,  1715. 

MONSIEUK  :  Monsieur  de  Kalb,  ancien  mnjor  du  regiment  de 
Loewendal,  et  qni  depuis  la  ref  >rme  de  ce  corps  a  et6  employ^  dans 
1'etat  major  de  1'armee  d'AHemagne,  ou  il  a  obtenu  en  1761  L-  brevet 
de  Lieutenant  Colonel,  est  verm  passer  ici  quatre  mois  cette  annee  en 
consequence  des  nouveaux  arrangements  faits  par  Mr.  le  mar6chal 
Du  Muy  pour  les  officiers  superieurs  reformes.  Qnoiqu'il  ait  etedans 
1'inaction  depuis  trop  longtemps,  je  lui  ai  retronve  ici,  Monsieur  le 
Comte,  toutes  les  dispositiuns  que  jo  lui  avals  connues  a  la  guerre,  et 


296 


APPENDIX. 


cela  a  renouve!6  ines  regrets  de  ne  1'avoir  pas  vu  place  avec  utilite 
pour  le  service  du  roi  et  pour  lui.  II  sera  digne  d'un  ministre  comme 
vous  de  mettre  ses  talents  en  usage.  II  en  a  de  diiferens  genres.  11 
parle  bien  plusieurs  langues  et  peut  etre  employe  a  tout  ce  que  vous 
jugerez  a  propos.  Je  serai  volontiers  garant  de  son  zele  et  je  suis 
sur  que  vous  aurez  lieu  d'etre  satisfait,  si  vous  daignez  le  mettre  en 
activite.  J'ai  1'honneur  d'etre  etc. 

LE  COMTK  OB  BBOQLIB. 


VI. 


KALE'S  FURLOUGH. 

A  FONT.AINEBI.EMJ,  4  NovtTnbre,  1776. 

Le  Roy  trouve  bon,  Monsieur,   que  vous  vous  absentiez  du  ro- 
yaume  pendant  deux  ans  pour  aller  vaquer  a  vos  affaires. 

Je  suis  tres  parfaitement,  Monsieur,  votre  tres  humble  et  obeissant 
serviteur. 

ST.  GERMAIN. 

A  MONSIEUR  LE  BARON  DE  KALB, 

Lieutenant  Colonel  d'Infanterie. 


VII. 
BILAS  DEANE'S  AGREEMENT  WITH  KALB,  LAFAYETTE,  AND  OTHERS. 

(From  the  Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  the  Revolution,  by  Jared  Sparks,  Vol.  L,  pp. 
62,  71,  97  and  98.) 

List  of  Officers  of  infantry  and  light  troops,  destined  to  serve  the 
United  States  of  North  America. 


Name  of  Officers.  Rank. 

Baron  de  Kalb  Major  General 

Viscount  do  Mauroy  " 


Commencement  of  their  pay. 

7  November  1776. 
20  "  " 


de  Senneville 
Chev.  du  Buy*son 
Chev.  de  Fayolles 
Dubois  Martin 
de  Holtzendorff 
Le  Chev.  de  Failly 
Amariton 
de  Roth 

Major 

M 

Lieutenant  Colonel 
Major 
Lieutenant  Colonel 

M 

Major 
Captain 

7 
7 
20 
20 
20 
1 
1 
1 

December     " 


APPENDIX. 


297 


de  Gerard  Captain  1  December  1776. 

Philip  de  Boreval  Lieutenant  1  "  " 

de  Monies  "  1  "  " 

Loquet  de  Granges  "  1  "  " 

de  Vriguy  Capt.  Comp.  franche      1  "  w 

Candon  Lieutenant  1  "  " 

The  said  ranks  and  pay  at  the  dates  marked  in  the  present  list 
have  been  settled  mutually  between  us,  the  undersigned,  me,  Silas 
Deane,  in  my  quality  of  the  most  Honorable  Congress  of  the  United 
States  of  North  America  and  me  John  Baron  de  Kalb,  Major-General 
in  the  service  of  the  States  General.  Done  double  at  Paris  this  l"of 
December,  1776. 

DE  KALB. 
SILAS  DEANE. 

List  of  Officers  of  infantry  and  light  troops  destined  to  serve  in  the 
armies  of  the  United  States  of  North  America. 


Commencement  of  their  pay. 
7  December  1776. 
7  November     " 
1  December     " 


7  November     " 
1  December     " 


7  November    " 

The  ranks  and  the  pay,  which  the  most  honorable  Congress  shall 
affix  to  ihetn  to  commence  at  the  periods  marked  in  the  present  list, 
have  been  agreed  to  by  us  the  undr-rsigned,  Silas  Deaue  in  quality  of 
deputy  of  the  American  States-General  on  the  one  part,  the  Marquis 
de  Lafayette  and  the  Baron  de  Kalb  on  the  other  part.  Signed 
double  at  Paris  this  7th  of  December,  1776. 

SILAS  DEANE. 

THE  MARQCTIS  DE  LAFAYETTE. 

DE  KALB. 
13* 


Names  of  Officers. 

Bank. 

M.  de  Lafayette 
Baron  de  Kalb 

Major-General 

u 

Delesser 

Colonel 

de  Valfort 

u 

de  Fayolles 
Dubois  Martin 
de  Gimat 

Lieutenant  Colonel 
Major 

M 

de  Vrigny 
de  Bedaulx 

Captain 
blank 

Capitaine 
de  la  Colombo 

Captain 
Lieutenant 

Candon 

M 

298  APPENDIX. 

The  desire  which  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  shows  of  serving 
among  the  troops  of  the  United  States  of  America,  and  the  interest 
which  he  takes  in  the  justice  of  their  cause,  make  him  wish  to  distin- 
guish himself  in  this  w.-ir,  and  to  render  himself  as  useful  as  lie 
possibly  can  ;  but  not  thinking  that  he  can  obtain  kave  of  his  family 
to  pass  the  seas,  and  serve  in  a  foreign  country,  till  he  can  go  as  a 
general  officer,  I  have  thought  I  could  not  better  serve  my  country, 
niul  those  who  have  intrusted  me,  than  by  granting  to  him,  in  the 
name  of  the  very  honorable  Congress,  the  rank  of  Major-General, 
vhich  I  beg  the  States  to  confirm  to  him,  to  ratify  and  deliver  to 
him  the  commission  to  hold  and  take  rank,  to  count  from  this  day, 
with  the  general  officers  of  the  same  degree.  His  high  birth,  his 
alliances,  the  great  dignities  which  his  fumily  holds  at  ihis  Court, 
his  considerable  estates  in  this  realm,  his  personal  merit,  his  reputa- 
tion, his  disinterestedness,  and  above  all  his  zeal  for  the  liberty  of 
onr  province*,  are  such  as  to  induce  me  alone  to  promise  him  the 
rank  of  Major-General  in  the  name  of  the  United  States.  In  witness 
of  which  I  have  signed  the  present,  this  Vth  of  Decbr.  1776. 

SILAS  DEANE. 

On  the  conditions  here  explained  I  offer  myself  and  promise  to 
depart  when  and  how  Mr.  Deane  shall  judge  proper,  to  serve  the 
United  States  with  all  possible  zeal,  without  any  pension  or  par- 
ticular allowance,  reserving  to  myself  the  liberty  of  returning  to 
Europe  when  my  family  or  my  king  shall  recall  me. 

Done  at  Paris  7th  of  Decbr.  1776. 

.        THE  MARQUIS  DE  LA  FAYETTE. 


vm. 

LETTERS  WRITTEN  BY  FRENCH  OFFICERS  TO  KALB,  RE- 
QUESTING TO  BE  EMPLOYED  IN  AMERICA.* 

1.  MAJOR  DU  MONTBERT  A  MR.  DE  KALB. 

LISIEUX,  le  23  Decemlre   1 776. 

Tin  de  mes  amis  m'ecrit  du  Havre,  que  vous  voudriez  bien,  Mon- 

*  While  these  letters,  which  have  been  taken  at  random  from  a  large 
number,  on  the  one  hand  reveal  the  motives  of  the  majority  of  the  French 
officers  in  entering  the  American  army,  they,  on  the  other  band,  conclusively 
prove  the  excellence  of  the  assistance  thus  rendered  their  arms. 


APPENDIX.  299 

sieur,  avoir  la  bonte  de  vous  interesaer  pour  un  de  mes  parents, 
porteur  de  la  presente,  qui  a  servi  en  qualit6  de  lieutenant  au  regi- 
ment de  Champagne,  Tespace  de  17  ans,  et  qui  a  quitte  le  regiment, 
il  y  a  peu  pres  un  an,  pour  des  raisons  qu'il  vous  dira  lui-meme. 
II  desirerait  passer  au  service  des  insurgents.  Je  reclame  votre 
protection  a  cet  egard ;  je  ne  doute  pas  de  la  reussite,  si  vous  avez  la 
bonte,  Monsieur,  de  vous  employer  pour  lui.  C'est  un  tres  boa 
officier,  sacbant  bien  son  metier,  mais  il  est  pauvre,  et  c'est  cette 
pauvret6  qui  lui  a  fait  perdre  son  etat. 

Les  services,  que  vous  voudrez  bien  lui  rendre,  me  feront  con- 
tracter  a  votre  egard  une  obligation  d'autant  plus  grande,  que  j'ai 
1'honneur  d'etre  avec  respect  etc.  etc. 

2.    LE  CHEVALIER  D'ESTIMADTILLE  A  ME.  DE  KALB. 

An  HAVRE,  le  29  Decembre,  1776. 

MONSIEUR  :  Je  prends  la  liberte  de  vous  ecrire  pour  vons  rap- 
peler  la  prome-se,  que  vous  m'avez  faite  a  1'occasion  de  Mr.  le 
Chevalier  du  Montbert,  dont  vous  trouverez  ci-joint  1'etat  de  service. 
Je  reitere  ma  priere  pour  vous  engager  a  faire  ce  que  vous  pourrez 
pour  rendre  service  a  un  brave  officier,  sur  la  disgrace  duquel,  il  n'y 
a  a  reprocher,  que  des  fautes  de  jeunesse  et  dont  vous  pourrez  vous 
assurer  par  des  informations  a  son  ancien  corps.  En  mon  particulier, 
1'obligation  qne  je  vous  en  aurai  ajoutera  la  plus  vive  reconnaissance 
aux  sentirnens  de  la  plus  parfaite  consideration  et  du  profond  respect 
avec  laquelle  je  snis  Monsieur  etc. 

P.  S.  Vous  trouverez  aussi  ci-joint  une  lettre  de  Mr.  du  Mont- 
bert, major  des  ville  et  citadelle  du  Havre,  oncle  du  postulant.  II 
desirerait  savoir  le  plutot  possible,  a  quoi  s'en  tenir  pour  prendre  lea 
arrangements  necessaires. 

3.   MEMOIBE. 

des  services  du  s'eur  Antoine  Augustin  de  Varennes,  Ohe- 
valier  du  Montbert,  gentilhomme,  age  de  36  ans,  sortant  du  regiment 
de  Champagne  en  qualit6  de  lieutenant  en  premier. 

Le  dit  officier  a  commence  a  servir  dans  le  corps  de  la  gendar- 
merie, oh  il  a  fa;t  la  campagne  de  1758  et  y  est  reste  jusqu'au  mois 
deNovembre  1760.  II  a  joint,  ensuite  le  regiment  de  Champagne 
en  qualite  de  lieutenant  en  Mars  1761,  et  y  a  fait  le  campagne  de  1761 
et  1762.  II  a  fait  toute  la  carhpagne  de  1762  aux  volontaires  de  I'arm6e 
BOUS  Tordres  de  M.  de  la  Motte. 


300  APPENDIX. 

II  a  continu6  ses  services  au  regiment  de  Champagne,  jnsqn'en 
Juin  1776,  que  des  raisons  de  fortune,  1'ont  forc6  de  quitter  le  dit 
regiment. 

II  a  fait  la  campagne  de  1769  en  Corse.  II  s'est  trouv6  a  toutes  les 
affaires  ou  ont  servi  le  regiment  de  Champagne  et  le  corps  des  volon 
taires  dans  lequel  il  a  fait  la  campagne  de  1762. 

II  a  6t6  choisi  pour  6tre,  comme  aide-major  an  bataillon  d'in- 
struction  dans  les  manoeuvres  provisoires,  qu'on  execute  4  Metz  ea 
1775  et  s'en  est  acquitt6  avec  la  satisfaction  de  ses  sup6rieurs. 

LE  CHEVALIBB  DE  VARENUES  DTT  MONTBEKT. 

4.  ETAT  DES  8ERVIOES  DU  CHEVALIER  DE  FAILLT. 

Ce  6  Janvier,  1777. 

Le  Chevalier  de  Failly,  capitaine  de  chasseurs  au  regiment 
d'Anjon,  a  commenc6  a  servir  sous-lieutenant  dans  le  rdgiment  de 
Royal-Wallon,  le  5  Octobre  1746.  II  s'est  trouve  au  siSge  de  Bergen 
op  Zoom,  Maestricht,  et  a  la  bataille  de  Lafeld. 

Reforme  en  1749  avec  tout  le  corps,  il  a  continu6  son  service  dans 
les  milices  de  Champagne.  II  est  entr6  en  1756  lieutenant  en  second 
avec  rang  de  lieutenant  dans  le  regiment  de  Berry.  II  a  fait  toute 
la  derniere  guerre  au  Canada,  toujours  aux  grenadiers  ou  volontaires. 
II  commandait  la  Vigilante  sur  le  lac  Champlain  en  1759  qu'il  a  sau- 
v£e  malgre  les  vaisseaux  anglais,  il  a  meme  eu  300  francs  de 
gratification.  II  a  6te  incorpore  avec  tout  son  corps  en  1763  dans 
celui  d'Aquitaine.  II  a  fait  la  campagne  de  1769  aux  volontaires  de 
1'armee  de  Corse.  II  a  obtenu  la  commission  de  capitaine,  le  10  Sep- 
tembre  de  la  mSme  annee.  II  a  et6  embarqu6  sur  la  Mignone  pour  le 
bombardement  de  Tunis  en  1770.  II  desirerait  6tre  employ6  en  ce'te 
qualite  dans  telle  partie  da  monde,  qu'il  plaira  a  Sa  Majest6  de  1'en- 
voyer.  II  supplie  le  Ministre  d'avoir  6gard  ;\  son  pen  de  fortune. 

LE  CHEVALIER  DE  FAILLT. 

Monsieur  Le  Baron  de  Kalb,  brigadier  des  arm6es  du  Roi,  est  pri6 
de  ne  pas  oublier  le  dit  Chevalier  de  Failly.  II  se  fait  une  fete  d'etre 
employe  sous  ses  ordres.  II  est  pour  la  vie  dans  ces  sentimens-la.  II 
fait  des  voeux  pour  1'entiere  satisfaction  de  Monsieur  Le  Baron  de 
Kulb  et  lui  est  attach6  et  finit  avec  un  tr£s  profond  respect  etc.  etc. 


APPENDIX.  301 

6.  LE  CEEVALIEE  DE  FRANVAL  1  M.  LB  BAEON  DE  KALB. 

DORBEO,  ce  6  Fevrier,  1777. 

MONSIEUR  :  J'ai  1'honneur  de  vous  ecrire  pour  etre  informe"  au  juste 
si  je  puis  cornpter  passer  en  Amerique.  L'on  mande  de  Versailles 
qne  la  cour  ne  vent  plus  permettre  4  aucun  officier  de  quitter  le 
royaume ;  que  le  Docteur  Franklin  a  recu  des  ordres  de  quitter  la 
France,  ainsi  que  Monsieur  Deane.  Ces  nouvelles-la  ne  denoteraient 
rien  de  bon  pour  les  projets  que  j'ai  eu  1'houneur  de  vous  coinmu- 
niquer  tant  pour  faire  la  guerre  que  pour  m'etablir  en  Amerique.  Je 
vous  prie,  Monsieur,  d'avoir  la  bonte  de  m'instruire  sur  ces  objets. 
J'espere,  que  vous  ne  trouverez  p.-is  mauvais,  que  je  me  sois  adresse 
d  vous.  La  bonne  volonte,  que  vous  avez  bien  voulu  marquer  it 
m'obliger  m'a  determine.  Monsieur  le  Marechal  de  Broglie  ne  va 
pas  encore  a  Paris,  j'en  suis  tres  fache— je  me  flattais  qu'il  vous 
aurait  rendu  assez  bon  compte  de  moi  pour  meriter  votre  estime  et 
vous  engager  plus  particulierement  &  vous  y  interesser.  J'ai  I'hon- 
neur  d'etre  etc.  etc. 


IX. 

KALE'S  ENTRANCE  INTO  THE  AMERICAN  SERVICE. 

1.    "WILLIAM   OAEMIOHAEL   TO   RICHARD   HENRY   LEE.* 

PARIS,  March,  1777. 

SIR  :  As  your  brother,  Arthur  Lee,  Esq.,  is  not  on  the  spot,  I 
take  the  liberty,  in  consequence  of  his  request,  to  inform  you  of  his 
health ;  he  is  now  at  Burgos,  in  Spain,  where  he  remains  in  conse- 
quence of  the  request  of  the  Spanish  ministry,  to  negotiate  on  behalf 
of  the  United  States.  From  what  he  writes  me,  I  hope  he  will  at 
least  get  some  money  on  our  account.  Your  brother,  the  alderman, 
as  I  am  just  informed  by  a  gentleman  from  London,  is  well.  I  take 
the  liberty  of  introducing  to  your  notice  and  protection  the  Marquis 
Lafayette  and  Baron  de  Kalb.  The  former  is  of  the  first  distinction, 

*  Carmichael  was  at  that  time  the  secretary  of  the  American  Commis- 
sioners Deane,  Franklin,  and  Arthur  Lee,  at  Paris.  Richard  Henry  Lee,  the 
brother  of  the  latter,  was  one  of  the  most  influential  members  of  Congress? 
and  chairman  of  the  committee  to  investigate  the  claims  of  the  foreign  offi- 
cers. He  was  a  stanch  friend  of  Kalb's  to  the  death  of  the  latter. 


302  APPENDIX. 

for  birth,  fortune,  and  family  here :  the  other,  of  the  highest  reputa- 
tion in  the  service,  and  strongly  recommended  by  the  Marshal  de 
Broglie  and  the  Marshal  de  Mallabois.  The  former's  family  are  our 
strong  support.  His  uncle  is  ambassador  at  the  Court  of  London, 
nnd  from  his  representations  we  hope  to  bring  on  a  war,  much  sooner 
than  it  would  otherwise  happen.  I  hope  he  (the  Marquis)  will  have 
every  reason  to  think  favorably  of  the  country.  I  have  the  honor  to 
bo,  with  much  respect,  etc.  etc. 

2.  KALB   TO   BIOHARD   HENHY   LEE. 

BRISTOL,  Sept.  16,  1777. 

SIB  :  I  am  unable  to  tell  you  with  how  much  reluctance  and  even 
sorrow  I  must  acquaint  you  that  I  cannot  accept  of  the  honor  Con- 
gress intended  to  me,  for  the  various  reasons  I  explained  to  you,  Sir, 
to  several  members  of  Congress,  but  more  particularly  to  Mr.  Lovell, 
and  wliich  I  repeat  to  Mr.  Secretary  Thomson ;  they  are  all  of  great 
weight  with  me.  I  beseech  you,  dear  Sir,  to  lay  before  Congress, 
that  I  have,  and  always  shall  retain  the  highest  sense  of  thankfulne  a 
and  veneration  for  the  whole  of  so  respectable  a  body  of  men,  and 
for  each  of  the  members  in  particular.  My  most  sincere  vows  will 
ever  be  for  success  to  all  their  measures  and  undertakings,  and  for 
the  general  welfare  and  happiness  of  your  States.  I  will  never  forget 
the  private  obligations  I  owe  to  several  of  your  gentlemen,  but  espe- 
cially to  your  kindness  to  me.  I  never  will  be  happier  than  when  I 
shall  hear  from  you,  or  when  I  shall  be  able  to  convince  you  of  the 
esteem  and  respect  with  which  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  etc.  etc. 

3.  KALB   TO   RICHARD   HENRY   LEE. 

CAMP  AT  WHIT«  PLAISS,  August  17, 1778. 

SIR:  I  received  both  letters  you  honored  me  with,  dated  15th  of 
February  and  23d  of  March  last  past,  but  rather  late ;  the  first  came 
to  band  the  20th  of  May  and  the  second  in  June.  A  long  sickness, 
the  march  of  the  army  while  I  was  yet  very  unwell,  and  a  good  deal 
of  business  since  my  recovery,  have  prevented  mo  from  answering 
before  now.  You  are  much  in  the  right,  Sir,  to  think  that  the 
change  in  political  matters  must  place  your  independence  beyond  all 
doubt,  and  far  beyond  the  power  of  England  to  disturb ;  I  heartily 
rejuice  with  you  and  all  true  Americans  on  the  occasion.  It  is  to  be 
expected,  also,  the  alliance  with  France  and  the  real  assistance  the 
king  intends  to  the  States,  must  needs  procure  you  a  speedy  and  last- 


APPENDIX.  303 

ing  peace.  This  day  I  wrote  to  President  Laurens,  in  favor  of  Mons. 
le  Vicomte  de  Mauroy  and  Mons.  le  Chev.  de  Fayolles,  which  will  be 
laid  before  the  supreme  council  of  the  States.  I  need  not  to  trouble 
you  with  the  contents  of  it.  I  will  only  observe  to  you,  that  I  am 
ordered  to  do  the  same  by  Marshal  Duke  de  Broglie,  and  the  count 
his  brother ;  and  as  they  expect  my  answer,  on  that  account  I  should 
be  greatly  obliged  to  you  if  you  would  be  pleased  to  let  me  have  the 
reasons  for  or  against,  as  the  matter  will  be  debated  in  Congress,  and 
to  be  very  particular  in  that  respect.  Though  I  ardently  wish  Mons. 
de  Mauroy's  request  be  granted,  yet  I  am  afraid  it  will  not,  by  reason 
of  a  letter  he  wrote,  as  I  understood,  to  Congress,  not  very  accept- 
able. If  he  is  refused  on  that  account  I  should  be  glad  to  have  it 
mentioned,  because  I  think  his  noble  protectors  are  unacquainted 
with  this  piece  of  bad  policy  of  his.  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with 
great  respect  and  esteem,  dear  Sir,  etc.  etc. 


X. 

LAFAYETTE  TO  MRS.  GEYMULLER,    WHOSE   MAIDEN   NAME  WAS  KALB. 
LA  GRANGE,  pres  Rosey,  ct  11  Flor&al,  an  IX  (Avril  1800). 

Je  vous  remercie,  Madame,  de  la  confiance  dont  vous  m'honorez, 
et  ties  details  quo  vous  avez  bien  voulu  me  donner.  C'est  avec  un 
vif  interet  que  j'ai  appris  des  nouvelles  d'une  famille  a  laquelle  je 
me  sens  116  par  mon  ancienne  amiti6  pour  le  general  de  Kalb.  Je 
serai  toujours  heureux  de  rendre  asa  memoire,  ce  que  je  lui  dois. 

Vous  savez  sans  douto  que  Mr.  votre  pere  apres  avoir  fait  avec 
distinction  la  guerre  de  sept  ans  fut  envoye  par  Mr.  de  Choiseul  dans 
les  colonies  Anglaises  de  1'  Amerique  septt-ntrionale  pour  prendre  con- 
naissance  de  ce  pays,  qui  avait  6te  Toccasion  de  la  rupture  entre  les 
cours  de  Versailles  et  de  Londres.  II  etait  naturel  que  la  declaration 
d'independance  des  Etats  Unis  inspirit  au  general  Kalb  le  desir  d'y 
retourner.  Son  depart  fut  encourage"  par  le  comte  de  Broglie  et  ap- 
pronve  secretement  par  le  gouvernement  francais.  C'est  dans  ce 
temps  qu'ii  1'insu  du  gouvernement  et  bientot  apres  malgre'  lui  que  je 
fis  connaissance  avec  les  envoy6es  du  Congres.  Nous  partimes  en- 
semble de  Paris,  nous  arrivatnes  en  semble  a  Charleston  et  a  Phila- 
delphie,  d'ou  je  joignis  I'armfie.  Quelqnes  circonstances  retardment 
son  entree  au  service.  II  fut  peu  de  temps  apr£s  place  avec  le  pre- 
mier grade  militaire,  celui  de  Major  General.  C'est  en  cette  qualite 


304  APPENDIX. 

qu'il  commandait  un  corps  d'arm6e  dans  la  Caroline  du  Nord,  lorsque 
le  general  Gates  vint  prendre  le  commandement  en  chef.  II  tut  battu 
a  Camden  par  Lord  Cornwallis.  Le  general  Kalb  se  montra  general 
habile  et  soldat  intrepide.  Sa  division  soutint  la  premiere  1'effort  des 
ennemis.  L'affairo  eut  pu  se  retablir,  s'il  n'avait  ete  niortcllement 
bless6.  Les  deux  armes  rendirent  hotninage  a.  ses  talents  et  a  son 
courage,  qui  meme  dans  un  general  merita  d'etre  remarqu6.  Son 
merite  militaire,  sa  Ioyaut6  civique,  ses  qualit6s  sociales,  le  firent 
honorer  et  regretter  par  les  troupes,  le  peuple,  le  general  Washington 
et  le  Congres.  Ses  amis  personnels  furent  vivement  afflig6s  et  per- 
sonne  plus  que  moi,  Madame,  qui  lui  6tait  attach^  par  affection,  la 
reconnaissance  et  une  fraternite  d'armes,  commenced  des  mes  pre- 
miers pas  dans  cette  carriers. 

Si  de  nouveaux  renseignomens,  si  des  attestations  d'Am6rique,  si 
mes  propres  temoignages  peuvent  vous  etre  utiles,  donnes-moi  vos 
ordres.  Je  vous  aurai  une  sensible  obligation  de  m'indiquer  comment 
je  pourrai  acquitter  une  dette  sacr6e  de  I'amiti6  que  j 'avals  vou6e  a 
Mr.  votre  pere. 

Agreez,  je  vous  prie,  1'expression  de  inon  respect  et  de  tnes  vceux 
pour  votre  bonheur.  LAFAYETTE. 

XI. 

FRANKLIN  AND  DEANE  TO  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS. 

PARIS,  25  May,  1777. 

*  *  *  The  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  a  young  nobleman  of  great 
family  connections  here  and  great  wealth,  is  gone  to  America  in  a 
ship  of  his  own,  accompanied  by  some  officers  of  distinction,  in  order 
to  serve  in  our  armies.  He  is  exceedingly  beloved  and  everybody's 
good  wishes  attend  him  ;  we  cannot  but  hope  he  may  meet  with  such 
a  reception  as  will  make  the  country  and  his  expedition  agreeable  to 
him.  Those  who  censure  it  as  imprudent  in  him  do  nevertheless  ap- 
plaud  his  spirit,  and  we  are  satisfied  that  the  civilities  and  respect 
that  may  be  shown  to  him  will  be  serviceable  to  our  affa;r-<  here,  as 
pleasing  not  only  to  his  powerful  relations  and  to  the  Court  but  to  the 
whole  French  nation.  He  has  left  a  beautiful  young  wife,  and  for  her 
sake  particularly  we  hope  that  his  bravery  and  ardent  desire  to  dis- 
tinguish himself  will  be  a  little  restrained  by  the  General's  prudence, 
so  as  to  not  permit  his  being  hazarded  much,  but  on  some  important 
occasion. 


APPENDIX.  305 

XII. 

KALB  AND  CONGRESS. 

Monday,  8th  September,  1777. 

Congress  took  into  consideration  the  report  of  the  committee  on 
foreign  applications,  wherein  they  set  forth : 

That  besides  a  number  of  officers  who  are  come  from  Europe  and 
the  West  Indies  of  their  own  accord  to  solicit  for  rank  and  employ- 
ment in  the  American  army,  there  are  others  who  have  proceeded 
upon  the  encouragement  of  conventions  made  and  signed  at  Paris  by 
Silas  Deane,  E-q.,  as  agent  for  the  United  States  of  North  America; 
that  Mr.  Deane  had  no  authority  to  make  such  conventions,  and  that 
Congress  therefore  are  not  bound  to  ratify  or  and  fulfil  them : 

Your  committee  for  this,  report  that  the  Baron  de  Kalb  and  the 
Viscount  de  Mauroy,  with  a  number  of  officers  who  came  with  them 
from  France,  have  offered  their  service,  provided  their  engagements 
with  Mr.  Deane,  in  respect  to  rank,  are  fulfilled;  but  that  the  Ameri- 
can army  having  been  arranged  before  the  arrival  of  these  gentlemen 
in  America,  their  expectations  cannot  be  complied  with  without  de- 
ranging it  and  thereby  injuring  at  so  critical  a  juncture  the  American 
cause :  that  the  zeal,  however,  of  these  gentlemen  and  their  conse- 
quent expenses  merit  the  attention  of  Congress ;  wherefore  your 
committee  report  the  following  resolve : 

Resolved :  that  the  thanks  of  Congress  be  given  to  the  Baron 
de  Kalb  and  the  Viscount  de  Mauroy,  with  the  officers  who  accom- 
pany them,  for  their  zeal  for  passing  over  to  America  to  offer  their 
service  to  these  United  States,  and  that  their  expenses  to  this  Con- 
tinent and  on  their  return  to  France  be  paid. 

Resolved :  that  Congress  agree  to  the  said  report  and  resolve. 

Ordered :  that  the  Baron  de  Kalb  and  the  Viscount  de  Mauroy 
be  furnished  with  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  report  and  resolution,  at- 
tested by  the  Secretary. 

Sunday,  14th  September,  1777. 

The  committee  on  the  treasury  brought  in  a  report,  whereupon: 

Resolved:    that  the    president  draw  Bills  of  exchange  on  the 

Commissioners  of  Congress  at  Paris  in  favor  of  the  several  officers 

and  for  the  sever»l  sums  hereinafter  mentioned,  the  said  bills  to  be 

made  payable  at  thirty  days  after  sight  and  to  express  value  received 


306  APPENDIX. 

by  and  chargeable  to  Congress,  viz.    A  set  in  favor  of  Baron  de  Kalb 

for  6000  livres  tonrnois. 

Resolved :  that  there  be  paid  to  the  following  gentlemen  the 
several  sums  hereafter  specified  to  defray,  with  the  sums  above  di- 
rected to  be  drawn  in  bills  of  exchange  on  the  commissioners  at  Paris 
in  their  favor,  the  expenses  of  their  coming  from  France  and  return- 
ing thither,  viz. to  Baron  de  Kalb  500  dollars. 

Monday,  15th  September,  1777. 

Resolved,  that  another  major  general  be  appointed  in  the  army 
of  the  United  States ;  the  ballots  being  taken,  Baron  de  Kalb  was 
elected. 

4th  October,  1777. 

"Congress  resumed  the  consideration  of  the  report  from  the  board 
of  war,  whereupon : 

Resolved  :  that  the  Baron  de  Kalb  be  at  liberty  to  give  up  his 
commission  of  major  general,  if  the  contingency  mentioned  in  his 
letter  of  the  28th  of  last  month  should  happen. 

That  the  Baron  de  Kalb's  commission  be  dated  the  same  clay  with 
that  of  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  agreeably  to  the  Baron's  request. 

That  a  compliance  with  tlie  4th  .and  5th  articles  of  Baron  de 
Kalb's  letter  would  be  improper  at  this  time,  as  Congress  have  not 
made  any  provision  for  their  own  officers,  with  whom  foreign  officers 
of  equal  merit  and  service  will  always  be  considered  on  a  footing." 

(The  first  paragraph  of  this  resolution  alludes  to  the  stipulation 
that  Kalb's  entrance  into  the  American  army  was  subject  to  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  Broglies  and  of  the  French  ministry,  and  must  be  revoca- 
ble in  default  of  such  approval.  He  evidently  feared,  as  is  mentioned 
in  the  text,  that  the  return  of  the  other  French  officers  who  had 
come  with  him  would  produce  a  revulsion  of  sentiment  in  the  cabinet ; 
bat  was  mistaken  in  this  impression,  as  appears  from  the  following 
letter  of  Kalb  to  Henry  Laurens,  President  of  Congress.) 

CAMP  AT  WHITEPLAINS,  17th  August,  1778. 

"  Sir:  When  Congress  were  pleased  to  honor  me  with  the  commis- 
sion of  Major  General  in  the  army  of  the  United  States,  your  Excel- 
lency nny  remember  my  apprehensions  of  being  blamed  at  home  for 
staying  almost  alone  when  many  others  of  the  French  officers  that 
came  in  my  company,  were  refused  service  and  went  back.  I  ac- 
cepted the  honor  conferred  upon  me  on  condition  that  if  I  was 


APPENDIX.  307 

disapproved  by  the  king's  ministers  or  by  ray  friends,  I  should  be  at 
liberty  to  resign  whenever  I  pleased. 

"  By  a  letter  just  now  received  from  Messieurs  the  Marshal  Duke 
de  Broglte  and  Count  de  Broglie  his  brother,  I  find  my  conduct  ap- 
proved by  both  as  well  as  by  the  ministry,  as  having  acted  up  to  the 
purport  of  my  furlough." 

XIII. 
1.  KALB'S  OATH  OF  ALLEGIANCE. 

I,  John  Baron  de  Kalb,  Major  General,  do  acknowledge  the  Unite! 
States  of  America  to  be  Free,  Independent  and  Sovereign  States,  and 
declare,  that  the  people  thereof  owe  no  allegiance  or  obedience  t  > 
George  tlie  Third,  King  of  Great  Britain  ;  and  I  renounce,  refuse 
and  abjure  any  allegiance  or  obedience  to  him,  and  I  do  swear  that  I 
will  to  tlie  utmost  of  my  power,  support,  maintain  and  defend  the 
said  United  States  against  the  said  King  George  the  Third,  his  heirs 
and  successors  and  his  or  their  abettors,  assistants  and  adherents, 
and  will  serve  the  said  United  States  in  the  office  of  Major  General, 
which  I  now  hold,  with  fidelity,  according  to  the  best  of  my  skill  and 
understanding. 

JOHN  BARON  DE  KALB. 
Sworn  before   me,  Camp  at  Valley 
Forge,  the  12th  day  of  May,  1778. 
G?  WASHINGTON. 

2.    OATHS   OF   THE   8OLDIEB8. 

HEAD  QUARTERS,  VALLEY  FORGE,  May  1th,  1778. 

In  order  to  accomplish  this  very  interesting  and  essential  work  ns 
early  as  possible,  the  following  officers  are  to  administer  tlie  oaths, 
and  grant  certificates  to  the  officers  of  the  Divisions,  Brigades,  and 
Corps,  set  against  their  names,  including  the  Staff:  Major-General 
Lord  Stirling  to  the  officers  of  the  late  Conway's  Brigades;  Major- 
General  Marquis  De  La  Fayette,  to  those  of  Woodford's  and  Scott's 
Brigades;  Major -General  De  Kalb  to  those  of  Glover's  and  Larned's 
Brigades,  etc.,  etc. 


308  APPENDIX. 

XIV. 
KALE'S  CIPHER. 

(From  a  letter  to  his  wife  from  Middlebrook,  April  10,  1779.) 

Dans    une    de    mes    lettres    a    Mr.    le    cointe    de    Broglie 
167     359    607    787      726      657  502  519     1363     250     1277 

je  parle  de  la  san  t6  de  Mr.  Gerard,  disant  qne  s'il 
879  1204  204  803  989  607  502  220  342  377  131  472 
vient  vite  a  manquer  —  ou  comme  il  eat  possible  qu'il 

713       305836       728       1282454      103     531515        835         630 

demancle      son      rappel      je      se      rais      fort      ai      se      de      lui 

198         1080    825  302    379  298      57       901     156  939     607    885 

sucoeder     dans    son    ministere     ici.      VOH  pur    cela 

1222        1470      407        1565        368.       622  M  Dubois    492     367 

je  suis  snr  que   Mr.    Gdrard    a    eorit      qu'il      se      ra 
158   43    966   421  502       220     763    186        953     298  1053  455  537 

re  qu'il  lui  en  coute  d6  j&  plus  de  trente  mille  livres 
917  403  941  587  1465  195  776  625  573  86  530  1117 

clu  si  en.  II  con  vient  de  dire  qne  suivant  ce  que 
263  238  819  169  lUo  348  250  227  976  984  170  131 

je    t'     6cris    de  la    cherte    de     toutes    clioses    cela     ne     peut 
379  702     186      750        185     607     399         270      367     885     739 
etre    autrement.     Afinque    la    place    ne    soit    pas    courue    et 
311  752  458        731    1085    413    497     318      1090     917 

1'ji  faire  solliciter  pour  moi  sons  pretexte  que  je  suis  tout 
636  550  390  742  1210  322  1430  421  158  582  1161 

&     partie      et      qne    pu      is      qu'il    m'      en      coute    benucoup 
836     1212      289    131    823    236     630    716     365     1465         761 
pour    servir    les    et'its    la    j'ai    me    rais    bien   mieux  employer 

616       397     357     251  1043  269    536     67       136       848          392 
cette    depen-e    au    service    direct    du    Roi.      Dis    tonjours    que 

317         308       115      397        1327     575     77       342        496        131 

je  me  ru  i  ne  pour  mon  avan  ce  ment.  Emploie 
158  958  1053  455  413  616  652  637  170  907  392 

y  Mr.  Dubois  M  et  le  Bourgeois  de  I'exterieur.  Tu  ferais 
1514  502  485  519  1308  195  1248  1112 

tres    bien    de    parler    a  Versailles    a  Mr.   Mo    r    can    premier 
695      136     573      622     140        81        502        562  585  271        412 
8ecr6taire   de   Verpennes    sous    pretexte    que    je    t'en    prie    de 
88        607        809          322      1430       421    379   555    762    607 


APPENDIX.  309 

me     ra     pel     ler     ji     son    souvenir    et     delft     tu     pour     rais 
636   341    733    557  267    407        715        723    244  1112    742      965 
prendre  occasion  de    lui    parlez    de    cette    affaire    et    le    prie- 
842  518     195   385     1204    250     401       120     289  769  762 

er     de      te     faire    avertir    ou     d'en     avertir     Mr.     le     corate 
405    250    989     821         659      454     162        659       502    615     1363 

de    Broglie    des    qu'il    se-    rait    question    de     re     em    pLtcer 
373      1277      315     403    298   1078       481       573  609    233     1085 
Mr.    Gerard    afinque    cela    soit    sollicit6  Mr.     Moreau 

502         220          458        367     497        390      616   1210  502        562 
me  me    pour    rait    me    proposer    au    ministre.    Je    fe    rais  en 
604       616       68     951         960      271         1276      890     362   57   365 
sorte     qne     deux     ou     trois    ans     en     cette     place    nous    donne 

858     131      488     956     593      370    587    660       1083      414        566 
raient    de      1'      ai    sance. 

1054    673  558    156    803 


XV. 

KALB   TO   THE   PRINCE   DE  MONTBABEY   (PAR  M.    GERARD). 

Du  CAMP  DE  BUTTEBMILK  FALLS,  le  31  Aout,  1779. 

MONSEIGNETJR  :  Lorsqu'avec  votre  agr6ment,  je  convinsavecles  com- 
missionaires amercains  d'aller  servir  les  Etats  Uriis  en  quality  d'officier 
general,  j'obtins  un  conge  du  roi  et  votre  promesse  pour  des  graces 
de  sa  Majest6  proportionnees  aux  risques  d'une  entreprise  de  cette 
nature.  J'avais  lieu  de  me  flatter  qu'on  ne  me  laisserait  pas  partir 
sans  etre  brigadier  des  armees  du  roi,  mais  monsieur  le  comte  de 
Saint  Germain  ne  voulant  pas  faire  de  promotion  expresse  pour  moi, 
le  brevet  de  brigadier  pour  les  lies  me  fut  expedi6  par  monsieur  de 
Sartine  le  6  Novembre  1776.  J'esperais  que  je  serais  compi  is  d  ins  la 
premiere  promotion  que  le  ministre  de  la  guerre  ferait  (cependant 
jusqu'apre^ent,  je  n'ai  rien  appris  a  ce  eujet)  et  que  cela  me  menerait 
a  devenir  dans  pen  marechal  de  camp,  surtout  depuis  le  traite  d'al- 
liance  du  roi  a^ec  ces  etats,  que  l»-s  ofBciers  francais  les  servant, 
doivent  etre  nvoues  de  leur  cour  et  traites  en  consequence.  Ce  n'est 
que  dans  cette  e«perance  que  je  me  suis  determine  au  parti  d'abandon- 
ner  ma  famille  et  le  soin  de  mes  affaires  pour  un  temps  considerable, 
pour  m'exposer  aux  accidents  de  la  mer,  de  la  guerre,  des  fatigues 
d'un  climat  defavorable  et  d'une  d6pense  excessive,  imis  indispen- 
7 


310  APPENDIX. 

sable,  oecassion6e  par  la  chert6  exhorbitante  de  toutes  choses,  et  le 
nombre  d'oflBciers  francais  qui  abondent  a  ma  table ;  parceque  je 
suis  le  seul  general  major  de  la  nation,  ils  me  considerent  comme  leur 
chef. 

J'ai  1'honneur  de  servir  sa  Majest6  comme  officier  depuis  la  fin  de 
1743  de  la  creation  dn  regiment  de  Loewendal.  Capitaine  et  aide 
major  de  1747.  Major  de  1756.  Le  dit  regiment  ayant  et6  incor- 
por6  en  Mars  1760  contre  toute  equite  et  Its  termes  expres,  accordes 
a  fen  monsieur  le  marechal  de  Loewendal,  lors  de  la  Iev6e  de  ce  corps 
(qu'il  ne  serait  jamais  ni  reforme  ni  traite  differemment  des  regi- 
ments d' Alsace,  Saxe,  la  Mark,  Royal  Suedois  et  Royal  Baviere). 
En  conservant  de  moins  anciens  a  son  prejudice,  je  perdis  par 
cette  incorporation  dix  buit  mille  livres  du  plus  clair  de  mon  patri- 
moine,  que  j'avais  donnees,  avec  1'attache  de  monsieur  le  comto 
d'Argenson,  ministre  de  la  guerre,  d'alors  pour  la  mnjorite  du  dit 
regiment,  indepemlamment  de  mon  traitement  de  4050  livres  comme 
major  d'un  ancien  regiment  qui  fut  reduit  a  1800  livres  coiume 
capitaine  d'Anhalt  qui  recut  le  premier  bataillon  de  Loewendal. 

Tant  de  desagrements  ne  me  firent  rien  diminuer  de  mon  zele 
pour'le  service  du  roi.  J'acceptai  en  Mai  1760  des  lettres  de  service 
d'aide  marechal  general  des  logis  de  I'arme'e  eons  les  ordres  de  Mon- 
sieur le  marechal  de  Broglie  et  j'en  continual  les  fonctions  jnsqn'a  la 
fin  de  la  guerre  en  1763.  Je  fus  fait  lieutenant  colonel  en  M;ii  1761. 
Tons  mes  cadets  d'Etat  major  sont  brigadiers  on  murechaux  de  camp. 
J'ai  constamment  re.-te  a  I'arm^e  pendant  toute  la  dur6e  des  guerre^ 
de  Flandre  et  d'Allemagne. 

A  la  paix  Mons.  le  due  de  Choisenl  me  donna  d>  s  nppointements 
de  reforme  jusqu'a  ce  qu'il  put  me  replaoer  a  la  tete  d'un  regiment 
allemand,  ce  qui  a  la  verite  n'eut  jamais  lieu,  soit  par  oubli  de  sa 
part,  soit  par  manque  d'importunite  de  la  mieruie.  En  Aout  1767  il 
me  fit  appeler,  m'expedia  un  ordre  pour  etre  employe  a  la  reconnais- 
sance des  c6tes  maritimes  de  Calais  et  de  Flandre,  mais  clrmgea 
aussitot  cette  destination  en  une  commission  particuli^re  de  confianoe 
I>onr  la  Ilollande  et  suivant  les  circonstances  pour  le  Nord  de  rAtne- 
rique  sous  de  grandes  promesses  de  faveur  et  d'avancemenf,  qu'il  n'a 
neanmoins  point  remplies  a  mon  retour  (quuiqu'il  fut  tres-content  du 
compte  que  je  lui  rendis  a  la  fin  de  1768)  probablement  par  IH  multi- 
plicite  d'affaires  plus  importantes;  et  qu'en  suite,  quand  je  Ten  n's 
icsouvenir  et  qu'il  me  renouvela  ses  promesses,  son  deplacement 
subit  ne  lui  en  laisga  pas  le  temps.  Messieurs  Gayots,  Toullon, 


APPENDIX.  311 

Chariot  et  si  je  ne  me  trompe,  Monsieur  de  Saint  Paul,  m'ont  blamfi 
de  n'avoir  pas  demand^  a  etre  fait  brigadier  avant  mon  depart  en 
1767,  que  je  1'eusse  6t6  sans  difficult^. 

Je  ne  repeterai  pas  tous  les  dangers  auxquels  ce  voyage  m'a  ex- 
pose. Le  compte  de  ma  mission  consign^  au  d6p6t  de  la  guerre  fait 
mention  d'une  parti  des  divers  accidents,  comme  mon  naufrage  pres 
Staten  Island,  le  28  Janvier  1768,  d'avoir  echapp6  seul  de  neuf,  aux 
c-ffets  du  froid  excessif  endure  pendant  13  heures  sans  abris,  eu 
sortant  des  Hots,  les  autres  huit  6tant  morts  pendant  la  nuit  meme,  ou 
peu  apres.  Je  dirai  seulement  et  puis  le  dire  avec  raison  que  ce  que 
j'ai  souffert  pendant  ce  voyage,  passerait  la  croyance  si  cela  n'6tait 
pas  de  notori6t6  publique,  et  si  fort  au  dessus  de  la  classe  ordinaire 
des  services,  que  j'eus-e  dfr  avoir  les  plus  grandes  recompenses. 

C'est  sans  dome  a  vous,  Monseigneur,  que  cet  acte  de  justice  est 
r6serv6  a  faire  et  j'ose  m'en  flatter.  11  y  a  plus  de  deux  ans  que  je 
sers  les  Etats  Uuis  en  qualite  de  general  major,  le  grade  le  plus  61ev6 
dans  leurs  armees  apres  le  oumraaodaat  en  chef  de  toutes  leurs  forces, 
et  couime  de;mis  leur  independance  reconnue  par  le  roi,  je  ne  me  croia 
plus  libre  de  quitter  sans  vos  ordres  ou  permission,  je  continuerai  a  lea 
servir,  taut  que  la  guerre  durera  ou  que  ma  sant6  me  Irf  permettra,  a 
moi.is  d'ordres  contraires,  et  aux  conditions,  totite  fois  que  cela  me 
conduise  a  mon  but.  Mon  absence  de  chez  moi,  les  risques  de  la  guerre, 
les  dangers  a  courir  de  la  part  des  ennemis  internes  du  pays,  lea 
fatigues,  le  mal  etre,  I*1  clirnat,  ladepense,  enfin  tons  les  sacrifices  que 
je  fais,  doivent  me  meriter  vos  bont6s,  j'y  compte  et  je  voussuppliede 
me  les  acc>>rder,  eu  vous  chargeant,  Monseigneur,  de  mon  avancement 
auquel  toutes  les  autres  graces,  dont  je  pourrais  etre  susceptible,  doi- 
vent ceder.  II  y  en  a  cependant  une  autre,  qui  me  conviendrait  et 
une  qui  me  serait  necessaire,  c'est  le  grand  cordon  de  1'ordre  du  merite 
militaire,  et  des  secours  en  argent.  Si  j'6tais  riche,  je  ne  parlerais 
pas  des  graces  pecuniaires,  mais  ma  fortune  6tant  bornee,  il  n'est  paa 
juste  non  plus  de  sacrifier  le  bien,  qui  sera  un  jour  necessaire  a  mes 
fils  pour  les  soutenir  au  service  de  leur  maitre,  ni  de  m'oter  la  facult6 
de  pouvoir  marier  ma  fille.  Madame  de  Kalb  me  gronde  fortement  a 
cette  occasion,  je  lui  recomande  d'avoir  1'honneur  de  se  plaindre  a 
vous,  Monseigneur,  et  de  vous  engager  a  y  trouver  un  remede. 

J'ai  souvent  6t6  ten:6de  vons  rendre  compte  des  operations  de  nog 
armees  am6ricaines  et  anglaises,  mais  n'ayant  pas  de  chiffres,  je  n'ai 
pas  os6  le  risquer.  Les  lettres  prises  par  les  eunemis  6taut  commu- 
ii6ment  rendues  publiques,  de  plus  fortes  raisona  encore,  m'ont  em- 


312  APPENDIX. 

p6ch6  de  vou8  envoyer  des  plans,  que  je  me  reserve  de  voua  remettre 
vous  ineme  a  mon  retour. 

Je  suis  avec  respect 

Monseigneur  Votre  etc. 

P.  8.    Le  10  Novembre  mfime  camp. 

Je  profite  du  depart  de  Monsieur  Gerard,  que  je  regarde  comrae 
une  voie  sur  pour  faire  passer  celle  ci,  j'y  eusse  joint  quelques  plans 
si  nos  6quipages  n'6taient  pas  a  une  trop  grande  distance  du  camp. 


XVI. 

GENERAL  WASHINGTON  TO  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  CONGRESS. 

HEAD  QUARTERS,  April  3d,  1780. 

SIR:  I  have  frequently  had  the  honor  to  address  Congress  on  the 
subject  of  those  c.irps,  which  are  unconnected  with  the  lines  of  par- 
ticular States.  Satisfied  of  the  numerous  perplexities  under  which 
they  labor,  it  is  with  pain  and  reluctance  I  trouble  tliem  with  repeated 
representations  of  the  same  nature ;  but  in  the  present  case  it  is  so  in 
dispensable  that  something  should  be  done,  that  I  cannot  forbear  the 
repetition,  however  disagreeable.  The  situation  of  the  officers  of 
these  corps  is  absolutely  insupportable.  Unless  something  effectual 
can  be  done  to  make  it  more  comfortable,  it  is  impossible  they  crtn 
remam  in  the  service.  The  resolutions  of  Congress  for  making  them 
part  of  the  State  quotas  has  partial  operation,  and  the  benefit  result- 
ing to  a  few  has  only  served  to  establish  a  contrast  that  embitters  the 
sufferings  of  the  rest.  Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  chagrining 
than  for  an  officer  to  see  himself  destitute  of  every  necessary  while 
another,  not  only  in  the  service  of  the  same  government,  engaged  in 
defending  the  same  cause,  but  even  in  the  same  regiment,  and  some- 
times standing  by  his  side  in  the  same  company,  is  decently  if  not  am- 
ply provided.  Enthusiasm  alone  can  support  him  in  a  moment's  per- 
severance, but  even  this  principle  must  give  way  to  a  necessity  so 
continued  and  hopeless.  Daily  applications  are  made  to  me  to  know 
whether  there  is  a  prospect  of  relief,  always  accompanied  with  a  de- 
claration, that  it  is  impossible  any  longer  to  endure  the  extremities  to 
which  they  are  driven. 

I  entreat  the  attention  of  Congress  to  this  matter.  If  there  is  no 
way  to  make  provision  for  the  officers,  it  would  be  better  to  dissolve 
the  corps,  incorporate  the  men  with  the  regiments  belonging  to  the 


APPENDIX.  313 

State  lines,  and  let  the  officers  retire  with  pay  and  subsistence,  and 
such  other  emoluments  as  may  be  enjoyed  by  others  after  the  war. 
In  their  present  state,  they  are  actually  suffering  every  inconvenience, 
in  fruitless  expectations  of  a  remedy  that  will  perhaps  never  come; 
those  who  have  less  resource,  less  zeal,  or  less  fortitude,  are  resigning 
from  day  to  day.  A  relaxation  from  care  in  the  interior  of  the  regi- 
ments must  be  a  necessary  consequence;  and  many  valuable  men  will 
b"  gradually  lost  to  the  service,  who  might  be  saved.  It  is  much  bet- 
ter, therefore,  that  the  expedient  suggested  should  be  adopted,  than 
that  things  should  remain  as  now  circumstanced.  But  if  it  were  pos- 
sible to  obviate  this  necessity,  it  were  much  to  be  wished,  as  it  would 
preserve  many  of  our  best  officers  to  the  army,  who  would  with  in- 
finite reluctance  quit  the  field,  while  the  defence  of  their  country 
coiled  for  their  services. 

Before  I  conclude,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  touch  upon  the  general 
situation  of  the  army  at  this  juncture.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
Congress  should  be  apprised  of  it,  for  it  is  difficult  to  foresee  what  may 
be  the  result;  and  as  very  serious  consequences  are  to  be  appre- 
hended, I  should  not  be  justified  in  preserving  silence.  There  never 
has  been  a  stage  of  the  war,  in  which  the  dissatisfaction  has  been  so 
general  or  alarming.  It  has  lately,  in  particular  instances,  worn 
features  of  a  very  dangerous  complexion.  A  variety  of  causes  has 
contributed  to  this  ;  the  diversity  in  the  terms  of  enlistments,  the  ine- 
quality of  the  rewards  given  for  entering  into  the  service,  but  stilftnore 
the  disparity  in  the  provisions  made  by  the  several  States  for  their  re- 
spective troops.  The  system  of  State  supplies,  however  dictated  in  the 
commencement  by  necessity,  has  proved  in  its  operation  pernicious  be- 
yond description.  An  army  must  be  raised,  paid,  subsisted,  and  regu- 
lated upon  an  equal  and  uniform  principle,  or  the  confusion  and  discon- 
tents are  endless.  Little  less  than  tlie  dissolution  of  the  army  would 
have  been  long  since  the  consequence  of  a  different  plan,  had  it  not  been 
for  a  spirit  of  patriotic  virtue,  both  in  officers  and  men,  of  which  there 
are  few  examples,  seconded  by  the  unremitting  pains  that  have  been 
taken  to  compose  and  reconcile  them  to  their  situation.  But  these 
will  not  be  able  to  hold  out  much  longer  against  the  influence  of  causes 
constantly  operating,  and  every  day  with  some  new  aggravation. 

Some  States,  from  their  internal  abilities  and  local  advantages, 

furnish  their  troops  pretty  amply,  not  only  with  clothing,  but  with 

many  little  comforts  and  conveniences ;  others  supply  them  with  some 

necessaries,  but  on  a  more  contracted  scale ;  while  others  have  it  in 

14 


314  APPENDIX. 

their  power  to  do  little  or  nothing  at  all.  The  officers  and  men  in 
the  routine  of  duty  mix  daily  and  compare  circumstances.  Those 
who  fare  worse  than  others  of  course  are  dissatisfied,  and  have  their 
resentment  excited,  not  only  against  their  own  State,  but  against  the 
Confederacy.  They  become  disgusted  with  a  service  that  makes  such 
injurious  distinctions.  The  officers  resign,  and  we  have  now  scarcely 
a  sufficient  number  left  to  take  care  even  of  the  fragments  of  corps 
which  remain.  The  men  have  not  this  resource.  They  murmur, 
brood  over  their  discontent,  and  have  lately  shown  a  disposition  to 
enter  into  seditious  combinations.  A  new  scene  is  now  opening, 
which  I  fear  will  be  productive  of  more  troublesome  effects  than  any 
thing  that  has  hitherto  taken  place.  Some  of  the  States  have  adopted 
the  measure  of  making  good  the  depreciation  of  the  money  to  their 
troops,  as  well  fur  the  past  as  for  the  future.  If  this  does  not  become 
general,  it  is  so  striking  a  point,  that  the  consequences  must  be  un- 
speakably mischievous.  I  enter  not  into  the  propriety  of  this  measure 
in  the  view  of  finance,  but  confine  myself  to  its  operation  in  the  array. 
Nei  her  do  I  mean  to  insinuate,  that  the  liberality  of  particular  States 
has  been  carried  to  a  blamable  length.  The  evil  I  mean  to  point  out 
is  the  inequality  of  the  different  provisions,  and  this  is  inherent  in  the 
present  system.  It  were  devoutly  to  be  wished  that  a  plan  coXild  be 
devised  by  which  everything  relating  to  the  army  could  be  conducted 
on  a  general  principle,  under  the  direction  of  Congress.  This  alone 
can  grve  harmony  and  consistence  to  our  military  establishment,  and 
I  am  persuaded  it  will  be  infinitely  conducive  to  public  economy.  I 
hope  I  shall  not  be  thought  to  have  exceeded  my  duty  in  the  unre- 
served manner  in  which  I  have  exhibited  onr  situation.  Congress,  I 
flatter  myself,  will  have  the  goodness  to  believe,  that  I  have  no  other 
motives  than  a  zeal  for  the  public  service,  a  desire  to  give  them  every 
necessary  information,  and  an  apprehension  for  the  consequences  of 
the  evils  now  experienced. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc. 


APPENDIX.  315 


XVII. 

COLONEL  NICHOLAS  ROGERS,  OF  BALTIMORE,  TO  GENERAL  HENRY  LEE.* 

NEW  YORK,  21th  January,  1810. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  Respecting  my  good  and  old  friend  the  Baron 
de  Kalb,  about  whom  we  have  formerly  had  some  conversation,  I 
wish  I  could  give  you  such  information  as  would  contribute  to  make 
your  intended  publication  interesting  as  the  world  will  naturally 
expect  from  your  pen  ;  but  the  long  lapse  of  time  and  other  circum- 
stances, may  probably,  contrary  to  your  expectations,  render  it 
rather  scanty  ;  however,  such  as  it  is,  I  am  happy  to  place  it  at  your 
service. 

In  frequent,  conversations  with  him  on  the  affairs  of  our  country 
— then  almost  the  only  topic  of  conversation — he  has  repeatedly  told 
me  of  his  having  been  in  this  country  between  the  years  1763  and 
1765,  in  a  concealed  character, — as  a  German  travelling  for  his  pleas- 
ure. This  he  did,  from  one  end  of  the  continent  to  the  other ;  and, 
as  I  know  him  to  have  been  an  acute  observer,  he  must  have  picked 
up  a  great  deal  of  information  for  the  French  Court,  by  which,  I 
have  no  doubt,  he  was  expressly  employed  for  that  particular  pur- 
pose. 

Speaking  the  English  language  well,  and  possessing  the  most  con- 
ciliating and  condescending  manners,  he  had  it  in  his  power  to 
insinuate  himself  everywhere,  from  the  drawing-room  down  to  the 
grog-shop,  and  be  assured  that  he  culled  from  every  group  something 
appertaining  to  his  mission,  and  marked  well,  in  every  countenance 
even,  and  conversation,  the  particular  partialities  and  antipathies  tow- 
ards the  two  great  leading  nations  of  Europe,  Great  Britain  and  France. 
He  often  declared  to  me  that  such  was  the  universal  prepossession  in 
favor  of  the  former,  and  the  almost  instinctive  hostility  to  the  latter, 
that  he  sincerely  believed  and  often  said  that  nothing  could  have 
induced  the  Americans  to  have  revolted  against  the  mother- country 

*  Rogers  had  been  Kalb's  aid  in  Valley  Forge  and  at  the  lines  between 
Elizabethtown  and  Amboy.  When  writing  his  memoirs  on  the  revolution  in 
the  South,  Henry  Lee  applied  to  Rogers  for  information  about  Kalb.  The 
above  letter  was  the  reply.  I  found  it  in  the  little  pamphlet  published  by 
J.  Spear  Smith.  The  errors  in  them,  growing  out  of  slips  of  memory,  are 
corrected  in  the  text ;  some  of  the  statements  are  exaggerated ;  nevertheless 
the  production  is  highly  interesting. 


316  APPENDIX. 

but  the  highly  injudicious  and  short-sighted  conduct  of  the  British 
ministry,  whom  he  frequently  ridiculed  for  their  egregious  folly  in  so 
wantonly  casting  off  such  an  inestimable  and  powerful  auxiliary. 

He  has  often  told  me  that,  in  all  his  travels  from  North  to  South, 
he  could  find  nobody  of  any  consequence,  either  native  or  British, 
who  did  not  think  that  Old  England  was  the  ne  plus  ultra  and  per- 
fection of  all  human  power. 

In  the  latter  part  of  his  residence  amongst  us,  in  his  assumed 
character,  he  became,  by  some  accident,  suspected,  was  t-iken  up,  aud 
was,  I  believe,  put  into  prison  for  a  few  days.  However,  he  soon 
made  his  way  good  and  was  released,  for  on  examining  his  papers 
and  baggage,  nothing  could  be  found  to  implicate  him,  because  he 
never  then  kept,  as  he  told  me,  anyihing  like  a  manuscript,  trusting 
all  to  his  memory,  which  I  knew  to  be  great.  It  was  hardly  possi- 
ble to  find  a  man  more  completely  suited  to  such  a  mission,  his 
wonderful  sobriety  and  temperance  at  table  being  almost  to  excess 
and  without  example. 

In  Europe,  I  believe,  he  was  engaged  chiefly  in  the  Quarter- 
master Department,  where,  from  his  great  aptitude  for  detail  and  nvnu- 
tise,  he  must  have  been  valuable.  Had  we  here  employed  him  in  that 
line  he  might  have  been  of  great  service,  for  we  frequently  ft- It  many 
inconveniences  and  suffered  much  from  our  ill-judged  arrangements 
and  want  of  foresight. 

Besides  his  extreme  temperance,  sobriety  and  prudence,  with  his 
great  simplicity  of  manners  which  highly  fitted  him  for  his  under- 
taking, he  had  also  many  of  the  other  qualifications  for  a  soldier, 
such  as  patience,  long-suffering,  strength  of  constitution,  endurance 
of  hunger  and  thirst,  and  a  cheerful  submission  to  every  inconveni- 
ence in  lodging,  for  I  have  known  him,  repeatedly,  to  arrange  his 
portmanteau  as  a  pillow,  and  wrapping  his  great  horseman's  cloak 
around  him  stretch  himself  before  the  fire  and  take  as  comfortable  a 
nap  as  if  up.>n  a  bed  of  eider-down.  He  would  rise  before  day,  light 
h;s  candles  and  wurk  till  nine,  then  take  a  slice  of  dry  bread  with  a 
pla-s  of  water,  and  go  to  work  again  until  about  twelve  or  one,  when 
he  would  ride  to  headquarters,  pick  up  the  news  of  the  day,  and 
return  to  dinner.  This  meal  consisted  of  a  little  soup  and  a  shin  of 
beef,  or  of  a  dry  tasteless  round,  with  his  favorite  beverage, 
water.  After  this  he  would  go  to  work  again,  and  so  continue  until 
dark,  when,  without  using  his  candle,  he  would  get  to  bed,  that  he 
might  rise  at  the  earliest  hour  in  the  morning.  This  was  his  mode 


APPENDIX.  317 

of  life  generally,  whilst  we  were  at  the  Valley  Forge,  \vhere  we  all 
suffered  not  a  little. 

In  size,  he  was  a  perfect  Ariovistus,  being  upwards  of  six  feet, 
and  fully  equal  to  the  fatigues  of  a  soldier.  He  would  often  walk 
twenty  or  thirty  miles  a  day  without  sigh,  or  con.plaint,  and,  indeed, 
often  preferred  that  exercise  to  riding.  His  complexion  and  skin 
were  remarkable,  being  as  fair  and  fresh  as  those  )f  a  youth. 

The  observations  and  information  of  so  judicious  a  person  as 
Baron  do  Kalb,  would  help  much  to  open  our  eyes  to  the  conduct  of 
the  French  court  during  our  contest,  particularly  during  the  earlier 
part  of  it,  for  it  was  incomprehensible  to  us  and  to  the  world  in  gen- 
eral, why  the  French  should  be  so  long  timidly  hesitating  whether  they 
should  take  an  unequivocal  part  in  our  favor,  when,  apparently,  there 
never  was  so  good  an  opportunity  offered  to  a  rival  nation,  to  injure 
an  opponent,  so  eternally  and  deadly  hostile. 

XVIII. 

GENERAL  HENRY  LEE  ON  KALB. 

(From  his  Memoirs  of  the  "War  in  the  Southern  Department  of  the  United  States. 
Appendix  D,  p.  424  et  seq.)* 

General  Baron  de  Kalb  was  a  German  by  birth,  and  from  the  best 
information  obtainable  must  have  served  during  the  war  of  1756  in 
some  inferior  stations  of  the  quartermaster-general's  department  in 
the  imperial  army,  operating  with  that  of  his  most  Christian  Majesty, 
it  being  well  ascertained  by  his  acquaintances  in  our  army,  that  he 
was  intimately  versed  in  the  details  of  that  department.  Towards 
the  close  of  that  war  he  must  have  been  despatched  by  the  French 
court  to  North  America,  as  he  himself  often  mentioned  his  having 
traversed  the  then  British  provinces  in  a  concealed  character ;  the 
object  of  which  tour  cannot  be  doubted,  as  the  baron  never  failed, 
when  speaking  of  the  existing  war,  to  express  his  astonishment,  how 
any  government  could  have  so  blundered  as  to  efface  the  ardent  and 
deep  affection  which  to  his  own  knowledge  existed  on  the  part  of  the 
colonies  to  Great  Britain  previous  to  the  late  rupture;  a  preference 
equalled  only  by  their  antipathy  to  the  French  nation,  which  was  so 

*  The  reader  of  these  pages  will  be  prepared  to  sift  the  truth  from  the 
poetry  contained  in  this  very  interesting  sketch,  so  that  it  would  be  quite  su- 
perfluous to  enter  into  extended  dissertations  here. 


318  APPENDIX. 

powerful  as  to  induce  the  baron  to  consider  it,  as  he  called  it,  in- 
stinctive. 

Just  before  the  peace  our  incognitus,  becoming  suspected,  was  ar- 
rested; and  for  a  few  days  he  was  imprisoned.  On  examination  of 
his  baggage  and  papers  nothing  could  be  found  confirming  the  suspi 
cion  which  had  induced  his  arrest,  and  he  was  discharged.  Such 
discovery  was  not  practicable,  as  during  his  tour,  the  baron  himself 
declared  that  he  relied  entirely  upon  his  memory,  which  was  singu- 
larly strong,  never  venturing  to  commit  to  paper  the  information  of 
others  or  his  own  observations.  On  the  restoration  of  peace  the 
baron  returned  to  Europe,  and  came  once  more  to  America  in 
1777  or  1778,  recommended  to  Congress  as  an  experienced  soldier 
worthy  of  confidence.  A  brigadier  in  the  service  of  France,  he  was 
honored  by  Congress  with  the  rank  of  major-general  and  repaired  to 
the  main  army,  in  which  he  served  at  the  head  of  the  Maryland  di- 
vision, very  much  respected.  Possessing  a  stout  frame,  with  excel- 
lent health,  no  officer  was  more  able  to  encounter  the  toils  of  war. 
Moderate  in  mental  powers,  as  in  literary  acquirements,  he  excelled 
chiefly  in  practical  kno'w  ledge  of  men  and  things,  gained  during  a 
long  life  by  close  and  accurate  investigations  of  the  cause  and  effete 
of  passing  events.  We  all  know  that  the  court  of  France  has 
been  uniformly  distinguished  by  its  superior  address  and  manage- 
ment in  diving  into  the  secrets  of  every  nation,  whether  friend 
or  foe,  with  whom  it  has  relations.  The  business  of  espionage  has, 
been  brought  in  France  to  a  science,  and  a  regular  trained  corps, 
judiciously  organized,  is  ever  in  the  service  of  the  court.  Of 
this  body  there  is  strong  reason  to  believe  that  the  baron  was  a 
member,  and  probably  one  of  the  chief  confidants  of  that  gov- 
ernment in  the  United  States.  No  man  was  better  qualified  for  the 
undertaking.  He  was  sober,  drinking  water  only,  abstemious  to  ex- 
cess, living  on  bread,  sometimes  on  beef-soup,  at  other  times  with 
cold  beef;  industrious,  it  being  his  constant  habit  to  rise  at  five  in  the 
morning,  light  his  candles,  devote  himself  to  writing,  which  was 
never  intermitted  during  the  day  but  when  interrupted  by  short  meals 
or  by  attention  to  his  official  duty,  and  profoundly  secret.  He  wrote 
in  hieroglyphics,  not  upon  sheets  of  paper  as  is  custornary  in  camps, 
but  in  large  folio  books,  which  were  carefully  preserved,  waiting  to 
be  transmitted  to  his  unknown  correspondent  whenever  a  safe  oppor- 
tunity might  offer.  He  betrayed  an  unceasing  jealousy  lest  his  jour- 
nals and  his  mystic  dictionary  might  be  perused,  and  seemed  to  be 


APPENDIX.  319 

very  much  in  dread  of  losing  his  baggage,  which  in  itself  was  too 
trifling  to  be  regarded,  and  would  only  have  attracted  such  unvarying 
care  from  the  valuable  paper  deposit.  He  never  failed  to  direct  his 
quartermaster  to  place  him  as  near  the  centre  of  the  army  as  was  al- 
lowable, having  an  utter  aversion  to  be  in  the  vicinity  of  either  flank 
lest  an  adventuring  partisan  should  carry  off  his  baggage.  What  be- 
came of  his  journals  is  not  known,  but  very  probably  he  did  not  vent- 
ure to  take  them  into  South  Carolina;  what  is  most  probable,  he 
placed  such  as  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  French  minister  for 
transmission  to  Paris  when  he  was  ordered  to  the  South.  If  he  con- 
tinued to  write,  when  marching  to  South  Carolina,  his  progress  must 
have  been  slow,  as  he  was  necessarily  much  engaged  in  the  duties  of 
his  command,  which  became  multiplied  by  the  extreme  difficulty  with 
which  subsistence  was  procurable.  Whether  his  baggage  was  capt- 
ured is  not  known  to  me;  but  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  his  papers 
did  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy;  as  in  such  event  we  should 
probably  have  heard  not  only  of  the  fact  but  also  of  their  contents. 
No  man  surpassed  this  gentleman  in  simplicity  and  condescension, 
which  gave  to  his  deportment  a  cast  of  amiability  extremely  ingra- 
tiating, exciting  confidence  and  esteem.  Although  nearer  seventy 
than  sixty  years  of  age,  such  had  been  the  temperance  of  his  life  that 
he  not  only  enjoyed  to  the  last  day  the  finest  health,  but  his  counte- 
nance still  retained  the  bloom  of  youth,  which  circumstance  very 
probably  led  to  the  error  committed  by  those  who  drew  up  the  in- 
scription on  the  monument  erected  by  order  of  Congress.  This  dis- 
tinguished mark  of  respect  was  well  deserved. 

XIX. 

KALE'S  PROPOSAL  TO  CONGRESS, 

(written  by  Kalb  himself  and  found  among  the  papers  appertaining  to  Silas  Deane) . 

Le  Baron  de  Kalb  being  advised  by  some  Generals  of  the  highest 
reputation,  and  by  several  other  noblemen  of  the  first  rank  in  ttm 
realm,  to  serve  the  cause  of  liberty  in  America,  he  accordingly  offers 
his  services  to  the  most  honorable  Congress  on  the  following  terms  : 

1.  To  be  made  a  Major  General  of  the  American  troops  at  the 
appointments  of  the  Major  Generals  in  that  service,  with  all  other 
perquisites  belonging  to  ti:a:  lank,  besides  a  particular  sum  to  be 
allowed  to  him  annually,  which  he  will  not  determine,  but  rely  on  it 


320  APPENDIX. 

for  the  Congress,  hoping  they  will  consider  the  difference  there  is 
between  their  own  countrymen,  who  are  in  duty  bound  to  defend  their 
all,  and  a  foreigner  who,  out  of  his  own  accord,  offers  his  time,  seta 
aside  his  family  affairs  to  hazard  his  life  for  the  American  liberties. 
The  said  appointment  to  begin  from  this  day,  November  the  seventh, 
1776. 

2.  That  Mr.  Deane  will  furnish  him  presently,  &  before  embarking 
with  a  sum  of  twelve  thousand  livres  french-money,  namely  :  6,000  to 
be  considered  and  given  as  a  gratification  for  the  necessary  expenses 
attending  such  an  errand,  and  th'  other  6,000  as  an  advance  upon  his 
appointment. 

3.  That  Capt.  Dubois  Martin  and  another  Gentleman  whom  Le 
Baron  de  Kalb  shall  nominate  in  time,  may  be  agreed  as  Majors  to  be 
his  aids  de  camp,  at  the  appointment  of  American  officers  of  the  same 
Rank,  and  the  sum  of  3,000,  or  at  least  2,600  be  paid  to  each  of  them 
presently,  or  before  embarking,  the  half  of  which  as  a  gratification,  & 
th'  other  half  as  an  advance,  the  said  appointments  beginning  too  from 
this  day. 

4.  That  in  case  the  Peace  was  made  at  their  landing  in  America, 
or  that  the  Congress  would  not  grant  these  demands,  and  ratify  the 
present  agreement,  or  that  the  Baron  de  Kalb  himself  should  on  any 
other  account,  &  at  any  time  incline  to  return  to  Europe,  that  he  be 
allowed  to  do  so,  and  besides  be  furnished  with  a  sufficient  sum  of 
money  for  the  expenses  of  his  coming  back. 

On  the  above  conditions  I  engage  and  promise  to  serve  the  Amer- 
ican States  to  the  utmost  of  my  abilities;  to  acknowledge  the  authority 
and  every  act  of  the  most  honorable  Congress ;  be  faithfull  to  the 
country  as  if  my  own  ;  obey  to  superiors  committed  by  that  lawful 
power,  and  be,  from  this  very  day,  at  the  disposal  of  Mr.  Deane  for 
my  embarkation,  and  in  such  a  vessel  and  harbour  as  he  shall  think 
fit.  Witness  my  hand,  in  Paris,  November  the  seventh,  in  the  year 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  seventy-six. 

DE  KALB. 

Reed,  of  Silas  Deane,  at  Paris,  Novr.  22d,  1776,  Sixteen  Thousand 
Eight  Hundred  Lavs,  on  acct.  of  the  above. 

N.  B.     Paid  8,800  in  cash. 

8,000  by  a  Bill  on  Messrs.  Delaps. 


APPENDIX.  321 

XX. 

KALB   TO    SILAS    DEANE. 
(From  "The  Magazine  of  American  History",  Vol.  IX,  p.  384.) 

ON  BOABD  THE  SHIP  LA  VlCTOIBK 

AT  THB  PASSAGE*)  is  SPAIN. 
17.  April,  1777. 

SIR  :  —  I  had  the  honour  of  writing  to  you  four  days  ago  in  a 
sad  mood  of  mind,  about  all  the  difficulties  which  seemed  to  obstruct 
M.  Le  Marquis  de  la  Fayette's  generous  designs;  as  I  made  you  a  par- 
taker of  bad  news,  I  think  it  a  piece  of  justice  to  impart  to  you  a  good 
one.  The  Marquis  guessing  by  all  the  letters  he  received,  that  the 
Ministers  granted  and  issued  orders  to  stop  his  sailing,  out  of  mere 
compliance  with  the  requests  of  M.  Le  Due  d'Ayens,  and  that  in  reality 
neither  the  King  nor  any  body  else  could  be  angry  with  [Mm] ,  for  so 
noble  an  Enterprise,  he  took  upon  him  to  come  here  again  and  to  pursue 
his  measures.  He  arrived  this  morning  nine  of  the  clock  to  the  great 
comfort  of  all  his  fellow  Passengers.  M.  de  Mauroy  arrived  at  the  same 
time.  So  we  shall  put  out  to  sea  again  by  the  first  wind,  and  strive  to 
get  to  the  Continent  directly  as  much  as  possible.  All  these  Gentlemen 
present  you  with  their  most  sincere  Compliments  and  good  wishes. 

I  wrote  to  M.  le  Comte  de  Broglie  as  well  as  to  Mad.  de  Kalb,  if 
they  had  any  letters  to  send  to  me,  before  I  could  give  them  an  account 
of  myself  after  arrival  at  your  army,  to  put  them  under  cover,  directed 
to  Mr.  Sam.  Shoemaker  at  Philadelphia,  and  desire  you  to  get  them 
over  when  opportunities  will  offer.  I  depend  on  thia  and  all  other 
occasions  on  your  goodness  and  friendship,  to  which  and  Mr.  Car- 
michaels  I  recommend  myself  particularly  and  am  with  all  possible 
respect,  Honoured  Sir,  your  most  etc.  DE  KALB. 

This  letter  will  go  by  the  to-morrow's  Post,  but  you  shall  hear  from 
me  the  day  of  our  putting  under  sail. 

The  Marquis  charges  me  peculiarly  to  acquaint  you  that  his  fear 
of  involving  you  in  some  disagreeable  dilemma  and  of  doing  hurt  to 
our  friends  interest  at  the  French  court,  was  what  determined  him 
most  to  comply  with  the  Kings  orders  and  to  go  back  to  Bordeaux  ;  be- 
ing willing  to  fall  alone  a  sacrifice  to  resentment  and  make  nobody  share 
his  misfortune,  as  long  as  he  could  believe  these  orders  serious,  and 
that  it  is  only  since  he  is  cure  of  you  and  your  causes  security  he  as- 
sumed anew  his  most  darling  project. 

*)  LOB  PASAGES 


322  APPENDIX. 

XXI. 

DE   KALB,    GATES   AND    THE    CAMDEX  CAMPAIGN. 

(From    "The  Magazine  of  American  History",    Vol.  VIII,    Part.  II,  p.  496  ff. 
N.  Y.,  1882,  A.  8.  Barnes  &  Co. 

The  publication  of  the  correspondence  and  orders  of  General 
Gates,  bearing  upon  the  battle  of  Camden,  and  the  vigorous  defence 
of  that  officer  by  Mr.  Stevens,  which  appeared  in  the  October  Number 
of  the  Magazine  for  1880,  invite  a  restudy  of  that  disastrous  cam- 
paign. A  fresh  fact  is  brought  out  in  a  letter  from  Lord  Rawdon, 
published  in  the  Third  Report  of  the  British  Historical  Manuscript 
Commission,  which  revives  the  point  whether  Gates  did  not  make  a 
mistake  in  declining  to  attack  the  British  at  Little  Lynch 's  Creek,  on 
or  about  August  10th.  Rawdon,  then  in  command,  had  taken  post 
on  the  southern  bank  of  the  stream,  and  was  known  to  have  a  force  in- 
ferior in  numbers  to  that  of  the  Americans.  His  position,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  naturally  strong.  Tarleton,  in  his  account  of  the 
campaign,  claims  that  Gates  ought  immediately  to  have  moved  up 
the  creek,  crossed  it  above,  marched  directly  to  Camden,  and  com- 
pelled Rawdon  to  meet  him  at  a  disadvantage,  or  abandon  the  place. 
Bancroft  says  on  this  point :  ,,By  a  forced  march  up  the  stream  Gates 
could  have  turned  Rawdon 's  flank  and  made  an  easy  conquest  of 
Camden."  Johnson,  in  his  life  of  Greene,  takes  substantially  the 
same  view.  In  Rawdon 's  letter  referred  to,  we  now  have  the  state- 
ment that  De  Kalb  did  actually  urge  an  attack  upon  the  enemy  at  the 
creek.  The  communication  is  from  the  English  general  to  his  mother, 
the  Countess  of  Moira,  and  the  material  part,  explaining  why  he  de- 
clined to  fight  Gates  before  Cornwallis  arrived,  runs  as  follows : 

••CAMP  NEAR  TWELVE  MILE  CBEEK, 
"ON  THE  FBONTIEB  OF  NOBTH  CABOLTNA,  Sept.  19,  1780. 

" Had  I  thought  the  tinsel  of  unweighed  applause  an  ob- 
ject superior  to  the  consciousness  of  having  acted  right,  I  should  have 
given  Mr.  Gates  battle  whilst  the  command  remained  with  me.  It  was 
in  my  power ;  I  had  fair  prospect  of  success  ;  the  reputation  to  be  at- 
tained was  great ;  and  if  I  was  beaten  there  would  have  been  credit  in 
making  a  bold  attempt,  for  the  failure  of  which  the  disparity  of  force 
would  have  been  a  sufficient  apology.  But  I  felt  that  the  step  would  bo 
false  ;  for,  by  maintaining  the  conduct  which  I  pursued,  I  was  certain 


APPENDIX.  323 

of  forcing  the  enemy  either  to  retire  across  the  Pedee,  to  attack  me 
upon  terms  almost  hopeless  for  them,  or  to  take  the  ruinous  part  which 
they  actually  did  embrace. 

"De  Kalb,  who  was  a  good  officer,  saw  so  clearly  the  consequences 
of  reducing  their  attacks  to  one  point,  and  thereby  enabling  me  to 
unite  my  detachements,  that  he  strenuously  advised  Gates  to  pass 
Lynches  Creek  and  fight  me,  at  all  events  :  this  was  related  to  me  by 
De  Kalb's  aid-de-camp  (a  relation  of  the  M.  do  la  Fayette),  who  was 
made  prisoner.  Gates  rejected  the  advice,  threw  himself  across  the 
country  into  the  other  road  above  Hanging  Rock  Creek,  and  gave  us 
three  days  to  prepare  to  meet  him,  in  a  country  likewise  very  favor- 
able for  us. 

"Since  that  action  the  sickness  of  the  troops,  added  to  want  of 
provisions  and  almost  every  kind  of  tstores  has  detained  us  inactive. 
We  are  now  in  march  towards  Hillsborough.  where  Gates  has  collected 
a  small  body  of  militia.  At  present  there  is  no  prospect  of  serious  op- 
position, but  I  cannot  believe  that  the  Congress  will  not  make  an  effort 
to  stop  the  advance  of  our  successes.  We  have  reason  to  hope  that 
we  shall  be  joined  by  the  greater  part  of  the  Xorth  Carolinians,  who 

have  certainly  given  strong  proofs  of  faithful  attachement  to  us 

It  is  now  ten  weeks  since  we  have  heard  from  New  York You 

must  have  been  astonished  at  our  warfare  here  after  the  representations 
which  we  perceive  were  made  to  you  respecting  the  loyalty  and  peace- 
able state  of  His  Majesty's  Province  of  South  Carolina." 

The  aid  who  gave  the  information  Rawdon  refers  to,  was  Chevalier 
Dubuysson,  holding  the  rank  of  Lieutenant- Colonel,  and  the  same  who 
is  commonly  represented  as  preventing  his  general  from  being  put  to 
death  on  the  field  at  Camden.  Whether  De  Kalb  meant  that  Gates 
should  attack  Rawdon  directly  in  front  or  cross  at  a  more  favorable 
point  and  fight  him  as  soon  as  possible,  is  not  distinctly  stated,  but  it 
is  worth  noticing  that  he  did  in  effect  propose  what  Tarleton,  who  was 
on  the  spot,  was  of  opinion  should  be  done,  and  what  Rawdon  himself 
impliedly  admits  to  have  been  excellent  advice.  The  point  with  De 
Kalb  evidently  was  :  Push  the  enemy  and  prevent  the  concentration 
of  his  forces.  Friends  of  Gates  will  defend  the  course  he  took  iu 
marching  around  by  way  of  Rugeley's  Mills,  by  showing  that  the  de- 
lay brought  him  a  large  reinforcement  of  Virginia  Militia ;  but 
did  it  not  also  work  in  equal  if  not  greater  proportion  to  the  enemy's 
advantage  ? 


324  APPENDIX. 

It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  his  advice  at  Lynch 's  Creek,  that  De 
Kalb  was  aggressive  in  this  campaign.  No  one  can  read  Colonel 
Horry's  quaint  reminiscences  in  his  Life  of  Marion,  without  observing 
how  anxiously  he  deprecated  Gates'  extraordinary  haste  and  rashness 
in  pushing  down  toward  the  enemy  from  North  Carolina.  Horry, 
•who  acted  as  aid  to  De  Kalb  up  to  the  battle  of  Camden,  states  on  the 
weary  march  through  the  pine  barrens,  where  "a  forlorn  hope  of  cater- 
pillars'1 must  have  starved,  the  general  "frequently  foretold  the  ruin 
that  would  ensue".  At  Lynch 's  Creek  he  saw  a  possible  advantage  to 
be  gained,  and  urged  it ;  otherwise  he  constantly  advised  caution  and 
better  preparation,  but  Gates  would  take  no  counsel,  unless  in  the  last 
extremity,  but  his  own. 

XXII. 
KALB  TO  BARON  HOLTZENDORFF  IN  PARIS. 

A  PETERSBUKOH  EN  VIBGINIE,  U  29  Stay.  1780. 

MON  CHER  AMY,  Je  n'ay  pu  attendre  ;i  Philadelphie  1'arrivee  de 
M.  le  Ms.  de  Lafayette,  mais  j'y  ay  laisse  le  Capt.  Paskke,  qui  m'a 
prie  de  1'admettre  a  ma  famille  pendant  ma  marche  au  Sud,  pour  le 
voir  et  m'apporter  n>es  lettres  de  France.  Je  viens  done  de  recevoir 
celle  que  vous  m'avez  fait  1'honneur  de  m'ecrire  par  luy  le  1  'er  mars. 
J'eusse  bien  desire  pouvoir  causer  avec  luy  sur  differents  objets,  s'il 
m'avoit  ete  possible  de  reculer  mon  depart.  L'on  me  presse  d'amver  au 
secours  de  Charlestown  et  je  rencontre  des  difficultes  sans  nombre 
dans  ma  marche,  il  semble  que  tout  soit  calcuM  ponr  s'opposer  au  bien 
du  Service.  J'ay  a  mes  ordres  les  Troupes  de  Maryland,  de  Delaware, 
le  Corps  de  Lee  avec  un  Regt.  d'artillerie  et  donze  pieces  de  canons. 
L'on  m'a  promis  une  jonction  de  Milice  de  cet  etat  cy  et  en  Nord 
Caroline,  mais  la  lenteur  qu'on  met  en  tout,  ne  me  donne  pas  de 
grandes  Espe'rances  d'en  obtenir  ou  de  pouvoir  les  attendre :  je  feray 
partir  demain  et  les  jours  suivans  mes  Troupes  en  Trois  Divisions,  si 
toutes  fois  1'on  me  donne  les  chariots  dont  j'ay  besoin  et  qui  me  sont 
promis  depuis  longtems;  avec  toute  la  diligence  que  je  pourray  mettre 
dans  ma  marche.  II  est  possible  que  le  sort  de  Charlestown  soit  decide 
avant  "mon  arrived,  car  quoiqu'ils  ayent  ete*  menaces  depuis  long- 
tern*  d'un  siege,  que  les  Ennemies  ayent  e*te  dans  le  Voisinage 
longtems  avaut  d'avoir  pu  investir  la  place  qu'on  avoit  par  con- 
sequent du  terns  de  reste  pour  1'approvisionner,  malgrd  cela  je  crains 
qu'on  ait  neglige*  ce  point  si  essentiel  a  une  defense,  et  qu'on  ne  s'en 
soit  occupe  que  quand  il  n'en  etoit  plus  terns. 


APPENDIX.  325 

Le  projet  de  debarquement  en  Angleterre  a  sans  derate  ete  aban- 
donne  entierement  ?  puisque  M.  de  Lafayette  qui  etoit  de  cette  armee 
la-,  est  revenu  icy.  Cela  surprend  beaucoup  de  monde,  on  croit,  qu'a 
moins  qu'il  ne  soit  charge  de  quelque  commission  importante  pour  le 
Congres,  il  ne  seroit  pas  revenu  en  Amerique,  et  com  me  rien  n'a  trans- 
pire jusqu'a  present,  cela  donne  lieu  a  diverses  conjectures. 

Vous  dites  done  que  huit  Regiments  devoient  s'embarquer  en  avril 
et  cela  peutetre  pour  H.  —  Mess,  de  Fleury  et  la  Colombe  ecrivent 
qu'ils  doivent  revenir  incessamment,  ne  seroieut  ils  pas  de  la  derniere 
Expedition  ? 

Je  suis  fache  de  ce  que  vous  me  mandez  de  la  mauvaise  sante  de 
Mad.  de  Holzendorff;  je  luy  souhaite  un  parfait  et  prompt  retab- 
lissement.  Comme  il  est  possible  que  Vous  ne  soyez  pas  a  Paris  a 
1'arrivee  de  cette  lettre,  elle  sera  pour  Elle. 

Yous  me  dites  n'avoir  refu  aucune  de  mes  nouvelles  depuis  Xbre 
1778.  Je  vous  ay  cependant  ecrit  de  Philadelphie  au  commencement 
de  1779  etplusieurs  fois  depuis,  soit  en  reponse  aux  Votres  soit  au- 
trement,  peutetre  que  mes  lettres  Vous  parviendront  encore  ?  je  vous  ay 
marque  dans  le  terns  que  votre  coffre  s'est  retrouve  et  de  la  facon  dont 
j'ay  dispose,  votre  Portefeuille  et  la  A'este  sont  chez  le  Docteur  Phile 
pour  etre  delivres  sur  votre  ordre.  Le  reste  a  ete  vendu  a  1000  Dol- 
lars qui  dans  le  terns  etoient  a  dix  pour  un,  par  consequent  valant  500 
Livres  de  France,  et  j'ay  laisse  a  Votre  option  cette  somme  ou  un  Billet 
d'Emprunt  de  1000  Dollars  que  je  in 'en  suis  procure,  depuis  ce  terns  les 
choses  ont  changees  en  prix.  Soixante  en  Papier  en  donnent  difficile- 
ment  un  en  especes  actuellenient,  et  les  denrees  et  marchandises  aug- 
mentent  continuellement  deprix..  Tout  coute  le  double,  meme  en  payant 
avec  de  1'or,  de  ce  que  les  choses  valoient  il  y  a  18  mois.  Ma  marche 
va  me  couter  des  sommes  immenses.  Je  ne  puis  pas  me  faire  suivre 
par  mon  Equipage,  et  suis  par  consequent  oblige  de  vivre  en  Routte 
dans  les  auberges  ou  d'autres  maisons  ou  Ton  paye  egalement,  meme 
le  logement.  Ma  solde  de  six  mois  suffit  a  peine  pour  un  jour  de  de- 
penses  inevitables.  Je  voudrais  bien  etre  chez  moy,  ou  ne  m'etre  pas 
embarque  dans  cette  Galere. 

J'ay  etc  dirige  quelqu'un  des  jour  passe  sur  ma  Route  de  prendre 
mon  Quartier  dans  une  maison  particuliere  pour  une  nuit.  On  m'y 
donna  un  mauvais  soupe  et  pour  boisson  du  Grog.  Pourtant  le  matin 
sans  dejeuner  mon  compte  se  montait  pour  quatre  Maitres  et  trois 
Domestiques  a  850  Dollars,  et  la  maitresse  de  la  Maison  me  dit  poll- 


326  APPENDIX. 

ment  qu'elle  n'a  vait  rien  mis  pour  le  logement  qu'elle  le  laisse  a  ma 
Discretion  mais  que  3  ou  400  Dollars  ne  seroient  pas  de  trop  pour 
I'Embarras  qu'elle  a  eu  avec  ma  famille.  Ces  gens  pretendent  qu'ils 

sacrifieroient  tout  pour  la  cause  de  leur  Liberte.  Tout  est  a  proportion 
de  cela,  un  cheval  mediocre  coute  20,000  Dollars,  je  dis  Yingt  mille. 

Adieu  mon  cher  amy,  je  suis  avec  le  plus  parfait  et  le  plus  sin- 
cere attacbemeut,  tout  a  Vous 

LE  B«n  DE  KALB. 

XXIII. 
[PUBLIC— No.  30.  J 

AN  ACT  to  provide  for  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  Major  General 
the  Baron  De  Ealb. 

Whereas,  in  October,  seventeen  hundred  and  eighty,  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  passed  the  following  resolution: 
"!N  CONGRESS,  OCTOBER,  1780. 

"Resolved,  That  a  monument  be  erected  to  the  memory  of  the 
late  Major-General  the  Baron  De  Kalb,  in  the  city  of  Annapolis,  in 
the  State  of  Maryland,  with  the  following  inscription  : 

'"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  the  Baron  De  Kalb,  knight  of  the  Royal 
Order  of  Military  Merit,  brigadier  of  the  armies  of  France,  and  major- 
general  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  of  America.  Having  served 
with  honor  and  reputation  for  three  years,  he  gave  a  last  and  glorious 
proof  of  his  attachment  to  the  liberties  of  mankind  and  the  cause  of 
America  in  the  action  near  Camden,  in  the  State  of  South  Carolina, 
on  the  sixteenth  of  August,  seventeen  hundred  and  eighty,  where, 
leading  on  the  troops  of  the  Maryland  and  Delaware  lines  against  su- 
perior numbers,  and  animating  them  by  his  example  to  deeds  of  valor, 
he  was  pierced  with  many  wounds,  and  on  the  nineteenth  following 
expired,  in  the  forty -eighth  year  of  his  age. 

"'The  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America,  in  gratitude  to 
his  zeal,  service,  and  merit,  have  erected  this  monument;'"  Therefore, 

Be  it  enacted  by  tlie  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  sum  of  ten 
thousand  dollars  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  appropriated,  out  of  any 
moneys  in  the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  the  monument  authorized  by  the  resolution  of  Congress  above 
recited;  and  the  Secretary  of  the  State  shall  have  the  management  and 
control  of  the  erection  of  said  monument. 

Approved,  February  19,  1883. 


APPENDIX, 


327 


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INDEX. 


Abbeville  36 

Abdelkader  94 

Aeneas  177 

Aiguillon,  Due  d'  76,  78 

Aix-la-Chapelle  6,  10 

Albany  126,   152,  153,  154,  155, 

156,  157 

Albert  of  Bavaria,  Elector  5 
Algiers  83 
Altdorf,  town  1 
Alzac-,  Viscountess  d'  75 
Amboy  186,  187 
Amphitrite,  ship  88 
Amsterdam  46 
Anhalt,  regiment  29,  34 
Annapolis  110,  196,  238,  248 
Ansbach  Bayreuth,  margraviate 

254,  256 

Anson  court  house  213 
Antin,  Due  d'  14 
Appony  46 

Argenson,  Count  d'  9,  11 
Ariovistus  240 
Armand,  Colonel   199,  205,  222, 

223,  226,  230 
Armstrong  159,  215,  222 
Arnaud,  Saint,  General  4 
Arnold,  General  150, 152 
Ascanius  176 
Ashley  river  191 
Augenheim,  village  5 
Augusta,  town  213 
329 


Ayen,   Due   d'  90,  91,  103,  104, 

105,  106,  108 

Baviere,  Royal,  regiment  25 
Bayreuth,  margraviate  1,  256,  257 
Beaumarchais  83,  88,  93 
Bedaulx,de,  Captain  108, 110, 131 
Bedford  175 

Belleisle,  Marshal  11,  19,  29 
Bennington  151 
Bentheim,  regiment  25 
Bergen,  battle  of  29 
Bergen  op  Zoom  6 
Bernis,  Abbe  41 
Besanyon  84 
Besset,  de  74,  75 
Bethlehem  (Moravian  settlement) 

117 

Black  river  219 
Blanding,  A.  251 
Bonneval,  Count  21 
Bonvouloir  82 

Bordeaux,  100,  101,  103-107 
Boston  54,  59,  61,  64,  65,  72,  73, 

117,  162,  163 
Bougainville  41 
Boulogne  12 
Boundbrook  167,  171 
Bourbon,  dynasty  257 
Bourcet,  General  46 
Le  Boursier,  Captain  101,  108 
Brandenburg-Bayreuth,  Margrave 

253,  256 


330 


INDEX. 


Brandy  wine,  battle  of  112, 113, 124 
Breton,  Capo  66 
Briant,  Colonel  226 
Brice  108,  109,  110, 130 
Broglie,  Comte  de  38,  79,  80,  85, 
86,  89,  92,   93,   94,   100,  102, 
109,   118,    119,  122,  123,  127, 
137,   145,   162,  167,  168,  172, 
178,  241 
Broglie,  Due  de   26,  29,  30,  31, 

38,  79, 161,  180,  241,  243 
Brouossy  near  Milon  79 
Brunswick,  Ferdinand  of  31,  38 

242 

Brussels  48 
Buckeburg,  town  39 
Buffalo  ford  202.  211,  214 
Buford,  Col.  205 
Burgoyne,  General  126,  131,  132, 

148,  164,  203 

Buttermilk  Falls  178,  179,  180 
Calais,  town  46 
Calcutta  258 
Cambray  8,  16 
Camden,  252,  253 
Campbell,  Colonel  190 
Canada  65,  126,  149,  150,  151, 

155,  156 

Captaine,  Officer  130 
Carolina,  North   197,   199,  200, 
201,  202,  204,  205,  212,   213, 
217,  219,  222,  223,  230,   232, 
235,  250 

Carolinas  190,  215 
Carolina,    South  109,    123,    191, 

199,  238,  248,  249,  250,  262 
Castries,  Marquis  de  35,  77 
Caswell,  Maj.-Gen.  202,    205,  213, 
215,  216,  217,  230 


Chaillot,  101 
Chamblee,  port  152 
Champlain,  lake  151 
Charles,  King  of  Spain  83 
Charles  VIL,  Emperor  19 
Charleston  109,    110,    188,    190, 
191,    192,   195,  197,  198,  199, 
203,  206,  211,  213,  218,  220, 
225 

Charleville  84 
Charlotte  208,  219,  235 
Chatelet,  Count  70 
Chatham,  court  house  188,  206 
Cheraw  213 

Chesapeake,  bay  124, 125,  195 
Chester  125 

Choiseul,   Due  de  11,  35,  39,  40, 
41,  42,  43,  45,  46,  47,  48,  49, 
50,53,  61,  64,  66,  68,  70,  71, 
72,  75,  76,  78,  80,  82,  86 
Cincinnati,  Order  of  the  244 
St.  Clair,  General  185, 186 
St.  Clair  122 
Clerke,  E.,  General  38 
Clermont    220,    223,    225,    226, 

228 
Clinton,  General   170,  171,    173, 

175, 179,  190,  191,  198,  218 
Cob  Taxton  206 
Coigny,  Marshal  5,  105 
Colbe  86 
Colbert  36 
Colmar244 
Cologne  49 

Colombo,  de  la,  Capt.  108,  130 
Compiegne  49 
Conde,  Prince  of  244 
Connecticut,    64,  165,  171,    173, 
175 


INDEX. 


331 


Constantinople  76,  82 
Contade,  Marshal  29 
Conway,    Jeneral   121,  146,  149, 
150,  151,  152,  153,    154,  155, 
156,  157 

Cornwallis,  Lord   190,    204,  213, 
218,  220,  222,  224,    226,   227, 
229,  230,231,234,235,  236,  242 
Corsica  70,  72,  83 
Corwin,  M.  C.  247 
Coudray,  du,  Col.  84,  88.  89,  92, 

111,  112,  130, 131 
Courbevoye  36,  37 
Coxe's  Mill  205,  206 
Cumberland,  Duke  of  26 
Danbury  165 
Darby  125 

Deane,  Silas  81,  84, 85, 86,  87,  88, 
89,  91,   92,    94,   97,  107,  108, 
109,  111,  112, 114, 116, 117, 119 
Deane 's  Woods  174 
Deep  creek  204 

Deep  river  200?  204,  205,  206,  211 
Delaware  bay  132 
Delaware  regiment  139,  165, 179, 
192,  193,    197,  205,  230,  233, 
234,  236,  238,  246 
Delesser,  Colonel  108, 117 
Deuxponts,  Max.  Prince  of  19 
Deuxponts  regiment  245 
Dijon  84 
Dixou  232 
St.  Domingo  84,  86,  88,  90,  100, 

101 

Donop,  Colonel  131,  132 
Dubarry  75,  243 
Dubois  35,  46,  47 
Dubois,  Martin  89,  90,  92,  94,  97, 
100, 101,  108, 130 


Dubuysson,  Major  108,  110,  117, 

119,  131,  134,  236 
Dulcinea  260 
Dumouriez  42,  76 
Dunkirk,  town  11,  46.  88 
Duportail  192 
Durand,  embassador  70 
Diisseldorf  25 
Ecluse  6 
Elizabeth,   town   165,   185,    186, 

187 

Elk  or  Elkton  124,  193, 195,  196 
Elysian  fields  101 
D'Eon,  Chevalier  84 
Erbach,  regiment  245 
Erfurt  26 
Erie  139 
Erlangen  1 
Eschenbach,  village  1 
D'Estaing,  Admiral  161,  180,  190 

191 

D'Estree,  Marshal  25 
St.  Etienne  84 

Eugene,  Prince  of  Savoye  6,  21 
St.  Evrard,  Abbe  97 
Fairfield  175 
Falmouth  50 

Fayolles,  de,  Lieut.  CoL  91, 108 
Feray  90 

Ferdinand,  Prince  96 
Fieffe,  author  22 
Fishkill  162,  163,  164 
Fleury,  Cardinal  24 
Fleury,  Colonel  174,  178 
St.  Florentine,  Count  of  75 
Florida  190 
Fontainebleau  86 
Fontenoy,  battle  of  6 
Ford,  Lieut.  CoL  217 


332 


INDEX. 


San  Francisco  258 

Frankfort  on  M.  32 

Franklin,  Benjamin  45,  70, 72, 91, 
92, 112 

Franval,  Lieut.  Col.  108 

Frauenaurach  1 

Frederic  II,  The  Great  3,  5,  6, 25, 
26,  38,  254 

Frederic,  Margrave  254 

Freiburg  6 

Fumes,  fortress  5 

Gage,  General  G3 

Gates,  General  126,  148,  149,  150, 
151,  152,  153,  154,  155,  156, 
159,  203,  204,  206,  207,  208, 
211,  212,  213,  214,  215,  216, 
217,  218,  219,  220,  221,  222, 
223,  224,  225,  226,  227,  228, 
230,  231,  232,  235,  237 

Geneva  146 

George  William , Margrave  253, 254 

Georgetown,  Bay  of  109, 110, 198 

Georgia  190, 191 

Gerard,  French  Ambass.  89,  158, 
167,  174 

St.  Germain,  Count  11,27,  79,80, 
81,  82,  84 

Germantown  119, 127,  128 

Geymueller,  Lucas  245 

Geyrnueller,  Madame  102 

Ghent  6 

Gimat,  de,  Major  108, 110, 123 

Gist,  General  179,  229,  232,  234, 
235,  236 

Glover,  Brigadier  160 

Gneisenau,  Lieut.  2.").") 

Goethe,  J.  Wolfgang  3 

Goshen,  County  199,  200 

Gottingen  3,  31 


Grammont  130 

La  Grange  109 

Granville  42 

Gravesend  50 

Grebenstein  31 

Greene,   General   111,   116,  127, 

159,  186,  203 
Grimaldi,  Minister  70,  83 
Guadeloupe,  Island  191 
Guiche,  Monsieur  de  la  31 
Gulph's  Mill  136 
Gun,  Captain  206 
Hague  39, 48,  50 
Halifax  64,  65,  66,  205,  206 
Hamburg  258 
Hamilton's  regiment  226 
Hastenbeck  26 
Havestraw  171 
Havre  88,  89,  100,  101 
Heath,  General  180 
Henry,  Patrick  44 
Hercules,  ship  50,  51 
Herzogenbusch  49 
Highlands  169, 171, 173, 180 
Hillsborough  198,   200,  205,  206, 

213 

Holmes  county  246 
Holtzendorff.von,  Lieut.  Col.  85, 86, 

184, 196 

Homtnet,  Capt.  50 
Howe,  General  123, 124, 126, 131 

132, 133, 134, 135 
Hudson,  river  152 
Huettendorf,  village  1 
Huger,  General  213 
Huger,  Major  110 
Hutten  20 
Huy  6 
Hyder  Ali,  Sultan  43 


INDEX. 


Ironhill  124 

Ironworks  200 

Isle  Koyal  65 

St.  James,  court  of  62 

Jamison,  Major  198, 199 

Jaquette,  aid  de  camp  233 

Jefferson,  Thos.  196,  206 

St.  Johns  151, 152 

Johnston,  town  153 

Jomini  26 

St.  Julien,  treasurer  97 

Kalb,  John  1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  7,  8,  9, 
10,  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  17, 
18,  22,  24,  26,  27,  28,  29,  30, 
31,  32,  33,  34,  35,  36,  37,  38, 
39,  46,  47,  49,  50,  51,  53,  56, 
59,  60,  61,  64,  66,  67,  68,  69, 
70,  71,  73,  74,  75,  76,  77,  78, 
79,  80,  81,  84,  85,  86,  87,  88, 
89,  97,  99,  100,  101,  102, 103, 
104,  105,  106,  107,  108,  109, 
110,  111,  112,  113,  116,  117, 
118,  119,  121,  122,  123,  127, 
128,  132,  136,  137,  143,  144, 
145,  150,  151,  152,  153,  154, 
155,  156,  157,  158,  159,  160, 
161,  162,  163,  164,  165,  166, 
167,  168,  172,  174,  175,  176, 
178,  179,  180,  181,  182,  184, 
185,  186,  188,  193,  194,  195, 
196,  198,  199,  200,  201,  202, 
203,  204,  207,  208,  211,  212, 
215,  216,  217,  223,  227,  228, 
229,  232,  233,  234,  236,  237, 
238,  239,  240,  241, 242,  243, 
244,  245,  246,  247,  248,  249, 
250,  251,  252,  253,  254,  25G, 
257,  258,  260,  261,  262,  263 

Kalb,  Madame  de  50,  168,  246 


Kalb,  Andrew  2 

Kalb,  Anna  Maria  Carolina  245 

Kalb,  Elie  de  75,  245 

Kalb,  Frederic  244 

Kalb,  George  2 

Kalb,  Hans  1 

Kalb,  John  Leonard  1 

Kalb,  Leonora  245 

Kalb,  Theophile  245 

Kalb,  street  248 

Kant,  Immanuel  27 

Karlsbad  3 

Kassel  31 

Kell,  von,  Eliaa  245 

Kill  van  Kull  185 

Kings  Ferry,  fort  171,  175, 178 

Knox,  General  111,  122 

Knyphausen,  General  242 

Kriegenbronn  2 

Lafayette,  Marquis  86,  87,  89,  90, 
91,  99,  100,  101, 102, 103,  104, 
105,  106,  107,  108,  109,  110, 
112,  113,  115,  119,  123,  124, 
129,  130,  144,  149,  150,  151, 
152,  153,  154,  156,  157,  159, 
162,  163,  196,  249,  250,  251, 
252,  260 

Lafayette,  Madame  de  106 

Lafayette,  Fort  171 

Lafeld,  battle  of  6 

Lambert,  Marquis  de  89 

Lancaster  118,  123,  139,  157 

Landau  28,  33 

Lamed,  Brigadier  160 

Laurens,  Henry,  President  144 

Laurens,  John  192 

Lee,  Major  148,  194,  197,  204, 
224 

Leinburg  1 


334 


INDEX. 


Lessing  27 

Lexington  82 

Lincoln  152,  180,  188,  191,  192, 
195,  203 

Lindley's  Mill  206 

Lisbon  39 

Little  Lynche's  creek  218,  219 

Loewendal,  Count  of  4,  6,  23, 
223,  243 

Loewendal,  regiment  25,  29,  34 

London  11,  50,  54,  61,  68,  253 

Long  Island  162,  187 

Lorraine,  Prince  of  5 

Los  Pasages  101,  105,  108 

Louis  XI  \r.  18,  19,  24 

Louis  XV.  5,  36,  76,  79,  80,  254 

Louis  XVI.  12,  79,  81,  158 

St.  Louis,  Fort  14 

Louisburg  13 

Lovell  110,  114,  146 

Lusatia,  Count  of  31 

Luzerne,  dela,  Chevalier  16  7, 179, 
180 

Lynch's  creek  211,  216,  217,  218 

Machault,  Sec.  of  the  Navy  11,  16 

Macleod,  Lieut.  Col.  229 

Magdeburg  26 

Maine  67 

Malherbes,  French  min.  82 

Maria  Theresia  5 

Marion  220,  225 

La  Mark,  regiment  25,  29,  245 

Mark's  ferry  212 

Marseilles  107 

Martinique  191 

Maryland,  Brigade  124,  139,  165, 
179, 185, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 
197,  205,  222,  226,  229,  230, 
232,  233,  234,  235,  238,  248 


Massachusetts  64 

Maestricht,  siege  of  6,  49 

Matson's  Ford  135 

Maubeuge  84 

Maurepas  82,  90,  91,  105,  106 

Mauroy,  Vicomte  de  85,   89,   91, 

92,  93,  108,  112 
Mays  Mill  214,  216 
McDougal  150,  171 
Mecklenburg  in  N.  C.  208 
Menin,  siege  of  5 
Mente  creek  133 
Merseburg  26 
Merserau,  Mr.  61 
Metz,  5,  79,  84 
Mexico,  Gulf  of  63 
Middlebrook  165,  167,  169,  171, 

183 

Mifflin,  Fort  131,  133 
Mifflin,  General  159 
Milford,  Lady  255 
Milon  la  Chapelle  74,   244,  245, 

246 

Minerva,  ship  68 
Montbary,  Prince  de  167,  169 
Montgomery,  Fort  150,  178 
Montgomery,  Richard  262 
Monte/nard,  Marquis  de  76,  78 
Montreal  151,  152 
Morande,  pamphleteer  84 
Morocco  83 
Morristowu  130,   186,    188,  192, 

194,  195 

Moultrie,  Colonel  190 
Miinden  on  the  Weser  31 
Muy,  Minister  of  War  79 
Xamur  6 
Xancy  9 
Nantes  88,  91,  97,  107 


INDEX . 


335 


Napoleon  I.  12,  43,  75 

Napoleon,  Louis  257 

Nash,  Governor  213,  223 

Nassau,  Prince  of  95 

Nelson,  Major  206 

Newark  185,  186,  187 

Newbern  73 

Newburg,  tovra  164 

New  England*  63,  64,  164 

New  Hackensack  162 

New  Hampshire  73 

New  Haven  175 

New  Jersey  121,  122,  133,  160, 
164,  165,  171,  180,  186 

Newport  73 

New  Spain  58 

New  Windsor  171,  177 

New  York  50,  59,  67,  68, 72, 124, 
128,  152,  157,  161,  162,  170, 
171,  172,  175,  180,  181,  183, 
186,  191,  192,  193,  195,  258 

Niell,  Lieut.  CoL  15,  16 

Nieuport  6 

Nixon,  General  249 

NoaiUes,  Vicomte  de  90,  91,  106 

Noix,  Isle  aux  152 

Norwalk  175 

Olmiitz  110 

L'Orient  88,  89,  97 

Ostende  6 

Otis,  James  44 

Oudenarde  6 

Paoli  72 

Paris  163,  167,  177,  244,  253 

Parker,  Admiral  190 

Paul,  Jean  257 

Pedee,  river  205,  208,  211,  212 

Pennsylvania  64,  124,  137,  139, 
152, 157,  164 


Perkiomen,  creek  119 

Persigny  4 

Petersburg,  Va.  110,  184,  192, 
195,  196,  197,  198 

Pfalzburg  8 

Pfeffel  244 

Philadelphia  49,  50,  51,  53,  54, 
56,  59,  67,  110,  111,  115,  110, 
118,  119,  122,  123,  124,  126, 
131,  132,  134,  159,  160,  167, 
180,  183,  185,  188,  193,  194, 
195,  196,  198 

Philippine  Islands  83 

Phyle,  Doctor  160,  198 

Pitt,  40,  42,  56 

Pompadour,  Mad.de  16,  25,  30, 
39 

Poniatowski,  Stanislaus  75 

Pontleroy,  de,  Agent  43 

Port  au  Prince  100 

De  la  Porte  16 

Porterfield,  Lieut.  Col.  212,  227 

Porto  Rico  63 

Portsmouth  117 

Potterfield  222 

Prague  5 

Prevost,  General  190 

Princeton  60 

Puetter,  Professor  3 

Pulaski,  Count  190 

Putnam,  General  154 

Pyrinont  3 

Quebec  13,  40,  262 

Quiberon,  Bay  of  12 

Piainbaux  et  Cie.  101,  106 

Raucoux,  battle  of  6 

Rawdon,Lord211,  213,  218,  219, 
220,  221,  222,  224,  226,  229, 
231 


336 


INDEX. 


Red  bank  122.  131,  133 

Re,  Isle  of  107 

Reuss,  Prince  3 

Rhode  Island  64,  153,  154,    161, 

162,  172 

Richelieu,  Due  de  26,  40,  176 
Richmond,  Va.  196,  197,  213 
Roanoke,  river  205 
Robais,  van,  Emilie  36,  86 
Robais,  van,  Peter  36 
Rockey,  river  206 
Rogers,  X.,  Aid  de  Camp  240 
Rome  39,  176 

Rossbach,  battle  of  26,  27,  30 
Rossiere,  de,  Brigadier  77 
Rothschild  259 
Rotterdam  49 
Rowan  208 

Roziere,  Monsieur  de  89 
Ruffec  90,  91,  94,  100 
Rugeleys  Milk  225 
Rutherford  213,  214 
Rutledge,  Governor  198,  199 
Saarfeld,  General  35 
Salem  73 

Salisbury,  198,  208 
Salles,  de,  General  31 
Salm-Salm,  regiment  244 
Santee,  river  225 
Sar  de  Gand  6 
Saratoga  152,  204 
Sartiges,  de  97 
Sartines,    Sec.  of    War  81,  82, 

84 

Saunders'  creek  226 
Savannah  73,  180,  190,  191,  213 
Saxe,    Marshal   of   5,  6,  11,  23, 

223,  241 
Schamyl  94 


Schaumburg-Lippe,William,Count 

of  38,  39 
Schenectady,  153 
Schiller  255  „ 

Schuyler,  General  149,  152,  203 
Schuylkill  125,  126,  134 
Scotch  Plains  186 
St.  Sebastian,  Bay  104 
Segur  19 
Seine,  ship  88 
Seitz,  Margarethe  1 
Seven,  Kloster  26 
Shanghai  258 
Sharon  162 

Shelburne,  Minister  45 
Sickingen,  20 
Signard,  Elise  245 
Smallwood,    General    179,    185, 

230,  232,  234,  235,  236 
Smith,  Cove  164,165,171,172,174 
Solms  Brauufels,  Princess  of  32 
Solms  Hohensolms.  Princess  of  32 
Solms  Lich,  Prince  of  32 
Sonneville,  de  91 
Soubise,  Prince  of  25,  26,  .27,  30, 

31,  35,  45,  176 
Sparks,  Jared  101,  108 
Springfield  186 
Stark,  General  153 
Staten  Island  162,181,185,186,187 
Steubeu,  General  111,   157,  174, 

179, 181, 185,  243 
Stevens,  General  214,  220,    221, 

227,  228,  230,  231,  232 
Stirling,  Lord  157,  159 
Stockholm  82 
Stony  Point  171,  173,  174,  175, 

177,  178 
•  Stormond,  Lord  86,  88,  89,  90,101 


INDEX. 


337 


Strassburg  84 

Suedois,  Royal,  regiment  25 

Sullivan,  General  111,  116, 135 

Sumter  220,  221,  225 

Swedes  ford  136 

Tailor's  ferry  198 

Tarleton  221,  229,  234,  235 

Tesse,  Countess  de  104 

Thatcher  224 

Ticonderoga  82,  126,  127 

Toulon  104,  107 

Townsend,  Charles  44 

Trevisani,  de  39 

Troup,  Robert  155 

Turgot  82,  83 

Tuscarora  246 

Valcroissant,  de,  Brigadier  78 

Yalette,dela,  Army  commissary  30 

Valfort,  Colonel   108,   117,    118, 

127, 128,  130 
Yalley  Forge  136,  137,  144,  145, 

148, 149, 157, 159, 160,  180, 183 
Yarnum  133 

Yaudiere,  Raymond  Marquis  de  245 
Yellinghausen,  battle  of  30 
Yergeunes,  Count  de  73,  76,  81, 

82,  83,  84,  89,  102 
Yerplanks  Point  171,  173 
Versailles  16,  18,  19,  20,  40,  46, 

68,  74,  76,  80,  253 
Yictoire,  ship  101,  102,  104,  108, 

109, 117,  260 
Yienna  39 
Yiomenil  76 
Yirginia  110,  162,  184, 190,  191, 

197,198, 199, 200,  205,  206, 219, 

220,  221,  222,  230,  232,  235 
Yogue,  de,  General  31,  35 
Yrigny,  de,  Captain  108,  130 


Yrilliere,  Minister  76,  77,  78 

Warsaw  76 

Washaw  222 

Washington,  General  94,  108, 
121,  122,  123,  124,  125,  126, 
127,  128,  133,  137,  144,  145, 
148,  149,  150,  156,  157,  158, 
160,  161,  162,  163,  169,  171, 
173,  177,  179,  180,  185,  186, 
188,  191,  192,  194,  195,  203, 
237,  238,  248,  249,  250 

Washington,  Colonel  205 

Wateree  225 

Waxhaw  219 

Wayne,  General  126,  173, 174 

Webster, Lieut.  Col.  226,  229,  331 

Westfield  186 

West  Haven 

West  India,  sea  179 

West  Indies  180, 190 

West  Point  164,165,171,177,179, 

Wetterau  26,  32  [182 

Weymouth,  Yiscomte  86 

White,  Colonel  205,  206 

Whitemarsh  133 

Whitemarsh  creek  119 

White  Plains  161,  162 

Wilcox's  Mills  200,  202 

Wilhelmsthal  31 

Wilkinson,  Colonel  149 

Williams,  Colonel  207,  208,  215, 
216,  217,  222,  227,  228,  231,233 

Wilmington,  battle  of  123,124, 
125,  128,  199 

Wood  creek  152 

Woolford  220,  221 

Wurrnser,  General  35 

Yadkin,  river  202,  208 

Ypres  5 


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